DELAYS ARE NOT DENIALS
Sri Ramakrishna walked across the paddy fields in the vicinity of the Dakshineswar Temple. A few disciples were with him. To them he spoke of the Life of the Spirit. And as they listened to him, “Never have we heard a man as he speaketh to us!”
And one of the disciples said, “Master! For many years have I worshipped God and called out to Him with tears in my eyes. And I have lived a pure life. And I have served friends and strangers to the best of my ability. But God continues to be as remote as ever. And now the thought comes to me that the time I give to my devotions is time wasted. And I say to myself, not this life for me!”
The Master smiled. Then, pointing towards the tillers of the soil working nearby fields, he said, “Two classes of farmers there be. There are those who are farmers by birth: their ancestors, like them, were farmers. And they keep on tilling the soil even though it does not rain for years together and they harvest no crop. Come famine, come floods, they despair not! They do not desert their fields.
“But there is another type of farmers. They take to agriculture with the sole purpose of making profits. And such as these are disheartened by a single season of draught.”
The Master continued, “The true devotee of God never gives up his devotions. He keeps on repeating the Name of God, he keeps on singing the glories of the Beloved, he keeps on shedding unbounded tears, even though he is not once blessed with the vision of God!”
On another occasion, the Master said, “The pearl diver dives, again and again, into the sea. And though every time he comes out empty-handed, he does not despair of it. But he dives again and again, and still again, in the assurance that he will get what he seeks.
The pilgrim in search of God, must do likewise. If you have not had a vision of God after several months of intense devotional practice, be not depressed. But redouble your efforts and, in patience, wait. For, remember, His delays are not denials. The Lord ever appeareth to His devotees at the right time!”
Sri Ramakrishna walked across the paddy fields in the vicinity of the Dakshineswar Temple. A few disciples were with him. To them he spoke of the Life of the Spirit. And as they listened to him, “Never have we heard a man as he speaketh to us!”
And one of the disciples said, “Master! For many years have I worshipped God and called out to Him with tears in my eyes. And I have lived a pure life. And I have served friends and strangers to the best of my ability. But God continues to be as remote as ever. And now the thought comes to me that the time I give to my devotions is time wasted. And I say to myself, not this life for me!”
The Master smiled. Then, pointing towards the tillers of the soil working nearby fields, he said, “Two classes of farmers there be. There are those who are farmers by birth: their ancestors, like them, were farmers. And they keep on tilling the soil even though it does not rain for years together and they harvest no crop. Come famine, come floods, they despair not! They do not desert their fields.
“But there is another type of farmers. They take to agriculture with the sole purpose of making profits. And such as these are disheartened by a single season of draught.”
The Master continued, “The true devotee of God never gives up his devotions. He keeps on repeating the Name of God, he keeps on singing the glories of the Beloved, he keeps on shedding unbounded tears, even though he is not once blessed with the vision of God!”
On another occasion, the Master said, “The pearl diver dives, again and again, into the sea. And though every time he comes out empty-handed, he does not despair of it. But he dives again and again, and still again, in the assurance that he will get what he seeks.
The pilgrim in search of God, must do likewise. If you have not had a vision of God after several months of intense devotional practice, be not depressed. But redouble your efforts and, in patience, wait. For, remember, His delays are not denials. The Lord ever appeareth to His devotees at the right time!”
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