Question: How can I develop and maintain a feeling of worthiness and self-respect?²¹¹

Sri Chinmoy: You have to realise that the thing you want and need in order to discover your worth is already there. God is already there, but you do not see Him. You are an instrument of God; His Capacity, His Vision, His Reality are there and He wants to manifest these in and through you. But how can you be conscious of it? You can become conscious of it through your dedicated, soulful aspiration and service. If you pray and meditate most soulfully, you will become aware of God’s Presence in your life and you will see that He is manifesting His Divinity in and through you. If you become more soulful, devoted and sincere in your approach to the Inner Pilot, you can easily become conscious of your own divine qualities. For you will realise that everything that God has, you are going to have as your own.

Divine confidence is of paramount importance. And what is divine confidence? It is confidence in God and in yourself. Unless you have confidence in God and in yourself, you will never feel yourself worthy of being God’s instrument. Your self-confidence tells you that you will do everything for God. Your God-confidence tells you that He is more than eager to do everything in and through you. When you have confidence in yourself and confidence in God, you will be able to see your inner progress; and inside that progress you will see that you are really worthy of God’s Compassion, Joy and Pride.