Sometimes we have to surrender⁵¹

God alone knows how many times I have shown five cents’ worth of occult power with regard to rain — many times! It started in Connecticut, during our Vishwamitra play. There I stopped the rain while looking at a tree. When U Thant came for the premiere of our play about the Lord Buddha, it started drizzling. We had a pagoda as a stage. The rain would have ruined it, but I stopped the rain. Like that, many, many times it has happened, in many places.

We used to have our Sports Day banquet at Mridul’s place in New Paltz. The whole day we had our sports competition, and then in the evening we would have a picnic at Mridul’s place. They decorated their backyard. Alas, once we went there to enjoy our picnic, and out of the blue it started raining. I said, “O God, all our joy will go away!” This was the time for the hostile forces to make fun of us. But I said, “Just stop!” Sometimes when you become very serious, you can stop the rain immediately. If you do not become serious, if you just placate the forces, then there is a little drizzle. Again, by the time your occult power withdraws, the forces may come and attack you very nicely.

Once on my birthday it was absolutely raining cats and dogs. We will never forget that unforgettable experience. Addwitiya was singing. She is such a famous singer! What was I doing then? Do you think I wanted my birthday to be ruined? But sometimes we have to surrender. My supporters will say, “Guru wants to have this experience. Why should he always have to play the role of a beggar and stop the rain?” Again, others will say, “Here is the proof that he does not have the capacity.” They feel that I do not have the capacity, or I have lost the capacity. On that birthday of mine, how heavily it rained!

Four or five years ago, at the tennis ground, I was going to paint on canvasses. The main assistant of my dearest friend happened to be there on that occasion. He can be my worst possible critic. A few drops of rain started descending, and then the rain stopped. He said to me, “Sri Chinmoy, you have stopped it, you have stopped it.”

I said, “No, no, God has saved us.”

He said, “No, you have saved us!”

Then he told so many of his friends that I had stopped the rain. I did not say it!

Again, there is the other side of the story: you can say that on my own birthday I was helpless. You can say anything you like. What could I do? I had to surrender.

Jesus Christ performed so many miracles — miracle after miracle. These miracles absolutely still stand. Then he had to surrender to crucifixion. First he said, “Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?” Afterwards he said, “Let Thy Will be done.”

In the case of the rain, on this occasion I had to surrender, surrender, surrender. When God’s Will and your will become one, you do what God wants you to do. If you stop the rain, you get the credit. If you do not or cannot stop the rain on your own birthday, although you have that kind of capacity, some people will be there to criticise you.

The disciples have to decide. They have come from so far away to be with their Master. This is the golden chance for the disciples either to lose their faith or to keep their faith in the Master.