Work and service¹

Why do we work? We work to support ourselves, to support our dear ones. We may also work to keep our bodies in perfect condition. But a true aspirant looks upon work differently. He sees work as a veritable blessing. To him, each difficult and apparently painful work is a blessing in disguise. To him, work is nothing short of a dedicated service. He has discovered the truth that by offering the results of what he says, does and thinks, he will be able to realise God. He works for the sake of God. He lives for the sake of God. He realises Divinity for the sake of God.

Now what about fate? Fate is our building. We built it. We had the power to build it; we have the power to demolish it. Now whether to demolish the building or to set up a new one or to transform the present one is of paramount importance. To do any of the three, we shall have to work physically, vitally, mentally, psychically and spiritually. Not for no purpose has God so graciously granted us the body, the vital, mind, heart and soul.

We are afraid of fate. Strangely enough, fate itself becomes horror struck at the very sight of our inner Will, our soul-power. The power of destiny can lord it over us only as long as we are fully engrossed in the physical world. But once we truly enter into the inner, spiritual life, destiny has to surrender to God's omnipotent Grace and it unreservedly does so.

Our human birth is a work. So also are our earthly life and our physical death. My day dawns when my inner consciousness declares my birth. During the whole day it celebrates my life. And at night, when I retire, my consciousness pronounces my death, my spiritual rest. This is the cosmic law. It is something quite natural. How can there be any fear when birth, life and death are our natural work?

Each human being must find his own work, the work that helps him grow in his soul. Nothing can be more encouraging, inspiring and fulfilling than to discover one’s true inner work which is the work of Self-Realisation. Carlyle touched a deep truth when he said, "Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness."

Each soul is a chosen instrument of God. Each soul has a particular mission here on earth. Each person has to realise and fulfil himself, not in his own way, but in God's way. God, out of His infinite Love and by virtue of His self-imposed divine Duty, gives to each aspirant what he needs and at the same time, God does not expect an iota more than the aspirant can offer. It was a great human voice who said, "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

It is not what we do, but why we do it and more so, how we do it. We pray. Others also do the same. Why do we pray? We pray to realise God. Others may pray to fulfil their countless desires; so we can easily see the difference between their prayer and our prayer. Now the most important thing, as we have already mentioned, is how we pray. We pray with a heartful devotion and dedication, while others pray with their unlit and demanding vital. Further, at times they will not hesitate to adopt unfair means to fulfil their wild desires by hook or by crook. We cannot do that. We just cannot think of it. We pray to God for our Self-Realisation. Even if He refuses to grant it, which He will not, we shall continue praying, for we know that He is All-Love, All-Compassion. He will fulfil our aspiration at His choice hour.

There is a common complaint which is voiced by all human beings irrespective of age, caste and creed. What is it? "I have no time." With a poetic sigh, they tell the world, "So much to do, so little is done." Here time is acting as our worst foe. Time is able to cause worry, fear and frustration in us because we are working through our ego and for the ego. There is always a constant battle between our ego's injudicious intensity and time's inscrutable and merciless flow.

But if we work with our soul and for the soul, then time not only helps us, but at each moment, it appears before us as an opportunity, a golden opportunity. For our soul knows unmistakably how to throw itself and us into the cosmic rhythm of the Infinite Time.

True, each human being is a chosen instrument of God to do a particular work, to fulfil a divine mission here on earth. But nobody should imagine, even in his wildest dream, that he is indispensable. God gives us an unparalleled opportunity in each distinct work to enter into His Heart's absolute Infinitude. If we do not avail ourselves of this constant opportunity, God, the Compassionate Father, cannot help saying, "Sleep, my children, sleep. You are the children of my Eternal Patience. I wanted you to be in my All-Transforming Light. Since you do not want that, I shall have to be in your Eyeless Night."