Guiding Light: God Within

It is said that God was displaced from the central position He occupied in man’s existence when the 20th century began. They cite several reasons for this too, such as the disbelief and cynicism created by Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, the quantum progress in science and technology, and man’s increasingly materialistic way of life.

Has God lost the prominence He was accorded centuries ago? I think the question is illogical. How can the Omnipotent ‘lose’ prominence and power? If we rephrase the question and ask ourselves, “Are we giving less importance, less prominence to God in our lives?” my answer would still be negative. Despite atheism, agnosticism, rationalism, and other doubting trends, I think man’s faith in God remains unshaken. Man’s need for God is greater than ever!

“If God were not real, it would be necessary to invent Him,” said a wise cynic. Those of us who believe in God know that there is no need to take the trouble of ‘inventing’ Him. He is, and He ever will be, now and in the millennia to come. But if you were to ask me, “Where is God?” I would take considerable time and trouble to tell you how to find Him. For the truth is that some of us have lost direct contact with Him over the years. Of course, we continue to believe in Him; we say our prayers regularly; we worship at the temple; we observe poojas and rituals and festivals; we accept prasad respectfully; but in the secret recesses of the heart, the question arises again and again: Where is God? How may I find Him?

God is within each one of us. Quench the thirst for the Lord by seeking Him within. In your heart of hearts is the throne of your Beloved; therefore, it is essential to keep the heart pure. Our hearts are filled with filth—the filth of ego, the filth of greed, and the filth of lust. We must purify our hearts so that we are able to have the vision of the Beloved. There is no need to wander far away in search of Him, for He is within.

God resides in each and every heart.

Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.