The Soul Yearns

Many a times, we become the cause of someone's hurt without even realizing it. The reason is probably simple. We are too wrapped up in our own individual worlds. We tend to look at a situation only from our perspective. We don't pause to consider the other person's situation. We don't take into account the key reason why the other person might be behaving in a certain manner. For all you know, the current reaction you are witnessing is probably a reaction against one of your earlier actions or even the lack of it.  You need not necessarily blame yourself for this. It's human to react quickly to a situation. But if you want to resolve the issue, if you want to make sure the other person also get his/her due, if you want to make sure that your current reaction doesn't lead to permanent damage from which both of you can't extricate yourself, a future that both of you will regret, then you need to learn to pause. You need to learn how to put your own selfish ...

Throughout my life, time and time again, I have developed casual friendship or acquaintanceship  with people at my workplace and even with friends of close friends. I might have even hung around with them on a regular basis. But the moment this 'hanging out together' stops they become a distant memory or not even in that in most cases. Chances are that I am unlikely to even think about them and in most cases, I'm likely to even forget their names. But when it comes to people I considered close, even if I haven't met them in years they will continue to come into my thoughts time and again. In both cases, it is a result of the quality of the relationship I enjoyed with those people. As far as the former category is concerned, the relationship was very superficial. It was for the sake of momentary pleasures. In the case of the latter, it was less about the sensory pleasures and more about the intellectual and emotional connect. The same is the case with our relationsh...

When you think of the relationship of the earth and sun, it gives you a glimpse of the relationship between man and God. The sun is a ball of gas, God is a spirit. But Earth is a solid object and so is Man who is made of the same earth.  The Sun continues to remain at the center of our solar system. Similarly, God continues to be an immutable eternal force at the center of all creation. Now earth revolves around the Sun and remains within reach of its gravitational pull. Similarly, it is up to man to accept God as the center of his life, and stay connected within the gravitational pull of God.  The difference lies in the fact that we have a choice whereas the Earth doesn't. While choice is great, it's this same choice that also becomes dangerous.  Imagine, what could happen if the earth had the choice of telling the Sun you are too hot and so I can't be associated with you! All of life on earth depends on this eternal association. The source of all f...

I was reading about Job. And what struck me was the reason for Job's suffering - a mere one-upmanship kind of argument between God and the devil.  And poor Job who was not at fault at all bore the brunt. Ok, he got twice as much back once God's position was proved right. But is that enough to take away the pain of loss? Maybe it helps ease the pain but it doesn't take away the loss itself.  The suffering of several generations of Israelites in Egypt is another example that comes to mind. In the grand scheme of things, it was probably a necessity. We don't know why it was a necessity. Why did so many thousands have to suffer slavery and perish in an unknown land without ever knowing any peace? Why did so many children have to perish without seeing their first birthdays? The obvious answer is, to fulfill their role in the grand plan, which neither we know nor they knew much about. Again for God, those 400 years may have just been a blip on the screen. But for those w...

Growing up in a Christian household can actually prove detrimental to one’s faith. You are taught to believe in the teachings of the church with your eyes closed and mind shut. And if you ask questions that do not have an obvious answer then you are considered as someone lacking in faith. I think this is the case with most religions. Don’t question what we have been following for eons or you are damned. I am assuming that to be the case for many of us who have grown up in religious households, whichever religion it might have been.  If that's the case why do we expect anyone to accept our belief? The non-believers, as we generally like to call anyone who doesn't belong to our own faith, are doing the same thing we do -- accept what they grew up hearing without questioning its veracity. I for one find this behavior unacceptable. What's wrong with doubting? Au contraire, I find it quite healthy. It gives me a reason to truly believe rather than purporting to be a be...

Have you ever helped someone out who then goes on to take full credit for your work without acknowledging any part of your contribution? How did that make you feel? Why am I bringing this up? Well, this thought struck me a week back when the pastor said while praying instead of supplicating start declaring. This was in line with what I had read in a book some time back. The author felt that the Arab nations have become so powerful because every single day, five times a day, they are declaring the greatness of their God from a zillion homes and mosques. So there is immense power in declaring into the atmosphere. Jesus himself had said, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed then you can move mountains. All you have to do is declare to the mountain, and it would move. But are we mature enough in our faith to be able to make that declaration? What could stop our declaration from having the desired effect? Couple of biblical instances come to mind. Uzziah, a king of...

I was wondering whether there is a prayer process. Like, when do you switch from normal mode to prayer mode? Is it when you utter "O God my father" or "Jesus my savior" or some such thing.  There is no prescription in the Bible. But we are often told that prayer is a conversation with God.  So how do we start that conversation?  Do we speak words that feel holy?  And do we say it out loud or do we mumble quietly under your breath, or do we think it in our head?  Whether we think or speak those words, we assume that as soon as we adopt a prayerful attitude i.e. close our eyes, bow our heads, etc, God will start reading our mind or listening to our words. To me, this means that God has to be continuously listening to our words or reading our mind. And therein lies one key reason for unanswered prayers. Now, during the day, we think so many thoughts or speak to so many different people. How much the words we utter or think is in line with wh...