WHY DO GOOD PEOPLE SUFFER? - 1

[Guest guest]

WHY DO GOOD PEOPLE SUFFER? - 1

 

The topic for this evening’s talk is, “Why do good people suffer?” The very

fact, so many people have gathered here today, is sufficient proof of our

interest in the subject. Almost at every place, where I go, in India or abroad,

people put to me the question: “Why do good people suffer?”

 

The story is almost the same everywhere. The people say: “We have been honest

and hard working: we have not hurt or exploited anyone: we have done as much

good as we could: and yet we have had to suffer. What is the reason?”

 

I am reminded of a young man. He built up a flourishing business in Mumbai. Then

he turned his attention to spiritual things. He, as it were, handed over his

business to his assistants, whom he trusted implicitly. They proved to be

dishonest. Very soon, this young man found himself in a difficult situation. He

was on the verge of bankruptcy. Winding up hi9s business, he went to America,

where he opened a shop. Misfortune dogged his footsteps. One afternoon, two

black men entered his shop with pistol in their hands. One of them caught hold

of him and said: “If you stir or utter a word, you will not be alive!” The

other ransacked the shop and filled the booty in a waiting van and, before any

action could be taken, the two quickly vanished.

 

In the course of a letter this young man wrote to me: “Why did this happen to

me? I pray many times everyday. I seek God’s help and protection. Every

morning, as I get up, I offer a prayer: I spend some time in quiet meditation.

Before I open the shop, I pray. Throughout the day I keep thinking of God and

offer small prayers to Him. I pray again in night, before I go to sleep. I have

hurt no one: I have cheated no one. I have never been dishonest. Why, of all

people, did this happen to me?”

 

I think of a young woman. She stays in Singapore. She is God fearing. She is an

active member of a Yoga Society. Some months ago, she came to India, along with

her family members. They visited a number of sacred shrines. They met holy men

and sought their blessings. Then they returned to Singapore. A few days

thereafter, their office premises were gutted by fire, and precious documents

were destroyed. The girl, with tear filled eyes exclaimed: “Why is it that this

happened to us? We visited India in a spirit of reverence, sought the blessings

of a number of holy men and women. Why did this happen to us!”

 

I read concerning a woman. She went round the world collecting rare and precious

antiques. After six laborious years, she returned to her country where she

planned to start business in antiques. A week before the inaugural function, a

fire broke out, and a number of shops including her own were destroyed. Her

hard work of six long years proved futile. Her priceless collections, her

irreplaceable curios, were reduced to ashes! No insurance claim could

compensate her adequately. She put the same question: “Why did the All-Merciful

God permit this to happen to me?”

 

Let me tell you of another woman. She devoted the best part of her life to

social service. She was by nature affable, amiable, energetic, and vivacious.

She went out of her way to bring joy and comfort into the lives of many.

Suddenly, one day, she found herself losing balance as she walked. A few days

later, as she returned home, one night, she stumbled and fell across the

threshold of her house. The next day she was examined by a doctor, who, after a

thorough check up, diagnosed the disease as multiple sclerosis. She was told

that it was a degenerative nerve-disease which, with passage of time, would

gather momentum and restrict her mobility. Ultimately, she would not be able to

walk without support and she would be confined to a wheel-chair. She might even

lose bowel and bladder control and be dependent on others for her routine

chores. This lady too, could not

understand why this had happened to her, when many of her friends lived normal,

healthy lives. “Why did God permit this to happen to me?” she asked.

-to be continued.

(Author: Sri J P Vaswani)

 

TAMASO MA JYOTIRGAMAYA….

 

Are you passing through a dark period of your life – a period of trials and tribulations?

Is your mind confused?

Do you find yourself at a dead end, knowing not where to go?

Then offer this simple prayer: “Let Thy Will be done!”

And a way will be shown to you.

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