Question: So, if God gives us succour, helps us, and we aspire for God, will those necessities and our desire to satisfy them remain as long as we are alive?

Sri Chinmoy: No. No. No. We have to know that there are two things here on earth. One thing is pleasure, another thing is joy. We know that there is a great difference between pleasure and joy. What is actually happening is that the human world, the outer consciousness, is crying for pleasure; and each time pleasure is fulfilled, we see that frustration looms large in our pleasure. But, if we feel that joy is coming into our lives, then joy grows from joy into more joy, abundant joy, boundless joy. So, when there is real joy within us – when we meditate for five minutes or ten minutes – we get inner joy that fulfils us. But, when we think of pleasure, of buying something unnecessary like a Cadillac or something of that sort, we are fulfilling our pleasure there. Soon after, we are frustrated because the one we have got is not big enough; we want something more comfortable. We are running after comfort here. If we run after comfort with the help of our desire, then naturally we will not be satisfied. But, if we cry for joy, inner joy, then each time we run towards fulfilment because inner joy wants us only to fulfil God; and only by fulfilling God can we be really fulfilled.