Swami on Faith and confidence from the book Sai Smaran by D.J. Gadhia

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Swami on Faith and confidence from the book Sai Smaran by

D.J. Gadhia

 

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Baba says: Have confidence in Me. I shall look after everything for

you On the question of the difference between faith and confidence,

He said: Faith in God means faith that He [baba] is God, that He is

omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Confidence means trust in the

Word, Will and Work of God. If I say something, there is a reason; if

I do something, it is with reason. You should have this implicit

trust - that there is always a reason for what I say, will and do.

You should have confidence in every word and act of Mine. Whatever I

say is the truth, whatever I do is the truth, whatever I will is the

truth - this is the confidence you should have, even though things

may appear to be otherwise.

 

He further said: When you have bad karma, you have to suffer.

However, your faith in God will mitigate your suffering. I give you a

shot of Grace, which acts as a drug or a pain-killer. In short, when

you have one hundred percent faith, God, in His compassion reduces

your suffering but He cannot reduce your karmas. Your karmas act as

brakes and are binding on you. All that the Lord does is to hand out

Grace according to your karmas, according to what you deserve. In

this way, you are bound and the Lord is entirely free!

 

But when you show one hundred percent confidence in God, He is

totally bound to take care of you! No karmas of yours, whether good

or bad, can stand in the way and act as brakes. When you show such

implicit confidence in God and have unshakeable belief that He will

take care of everything for you, why should you worry? For He can

never let you down. He has to look after you and take care of

everything for you, come what may, and whatever the circumstances of

your karmas.

 

One hundred percent faith means that God will not let you suffer. One

hundred percent confidence means that God will not let you down. One

hundred percent faith plus one hundred percent confidence makes up

for one hundred percent devotion or bakthi. It is the highest form of

bhakthi where the Lord is in a state of bondage, and the devotee is

in a state of supreme serenity and smiling freedom! This is what

every devotee has to aspire for!

 

Your faith should give you total confidence in Me. You should have

implicit confidence that My Grace is always with you and that I am

always watching over you and protecting you. You should have the

confidence that I will never let you down, that I am always beside

you, comforting you and carrying you through troubles and hardships.

Just as you lean against the wall knowing that it will not collapse,

lean on Me and depend upon Me entirely. I will then look after you.

If you depend upon Me with complete faith and confidence, I shall

provide for your welfare and look after all you needs in this world

and in the next.

 

It is the height of foolishness to lose faith in God when someone you

cared for dies. The sentence that this person had earned is over and

he/she is released! No one is born and allowed to live for the sake

of another. Each one has his/her own burden of karma to carry and lay

down. Do not therefore allow any circumstances to affect your faith

in God who is your strength and solace.

 

Therefore faith is of great importance! God should be installed in

every thought, word and deed. Without faith in God we cannot perform

any action; it is Divinity which pervades everywhere and works non-

stop.