Month: July 2014

Not My Will, but Thy Will Be Done

| Chandru Gidwani

First, to pray “your will be done” is to recognize the sovereignty of God over every aspect of our daily lives. In effect, it is a way of saying, “Thank God this world is under his control, not mine!” We would be in deep trouble if God gave us everything for which we asked. Fact is, we don’t know what’s best for us! We only see a snapshot of our lives—while God sees the entire panoply. Thus, his perspective is far superior to ours.

Furthermore, to pray “your will be done” is daily recognition that our wills must be submitted to his will. One of the most comforting thoughts that can penetrate a human mind yielded to the will of God is that he who has created us also knows what is best for us. Thus, if we walk according to his will, rather than trying to command him according to our own wills, we will indeed have, as he promised, not a panacea, but peace in the midst of the storm. In the yielded life there is great peace in knowing that the One who taught us to pray “your will be done” has every detail of our lives under control. Not only is God the object of our faith, he is also the originator of our faith. Indeed, he is the originator of our salvation and, yes, even the originator of our prayers. Thus, whatever we pray for, whether it’s healing or a house, when our will is in harmony with his will, we will receive what we request 100 percent of the time. However, when we pray as Christ prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done,” we can rest assured that even in sickness and tragedy “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Greatness lies in being Humble…Sister Shivani

| Chandru Gidwani

Spiritual knowledge leads to humility

humilityThe world is brimming with lots of things to learn. One can never say “I know everything.” As the world is evolving day by day, some things get obsolete and some newer theories are born. As important as professional education is to a man, so is spiritual knowledge. One cannot become a surgeon without possessing the necessary knowledge and expertise. Similarly, an architect will be in no position to erect a building without the basic know-how of design and construction nor will a scientist be able to experiment without understanding chemicals and their reactions. However, from a broader perspective, this education although imperative for winning our daily bread, will not liberate us. If this is one side of the spectrum, on the other side are some people whose education has only inflated their ego and Ahankaar.

One night a scientist, philosopher and a mathematician were sailing in the ocean. It was a rather peaceful night and when they reached the middle of the ocean, the philosopher turned to the

boatman and asked “Have you heard of Aristotle or Plato? Do you know their theories?” The boatman replied, “No Sir, I haven’t heard of them. All I know is to remember God throughout the day.” The philosopher said to him,” That means you’ve wasted 30% of you life.” Then the mathematician spoke, “You must be aware of calculus and computing simple equations.” The boatman, keeping an eye on the changing weather, said “I’m afraid I do not know Sir. I only know to be kind, humble and pious.” To this the mathematician retorted, “In that case 40% of your life has gone in vain.” It was the scientist’s turn now, who asked “Have you learnt Einstein’s theory of relativity?” The boatman smiled and replied, “I have not gone to school sir; I don’t know these things.” The scientist sarcastically said, “Then 50% of life has been wasted.” A little while later a heavy storm brewed and rocked the boat violently. The boatman tried hard to fight against the thick storm and then knew he had to let go. He asked the three men, “Do you know to swim?” And they chorused a big “NO”. The boatman whispered “I’m sorry you’re going to lose 100% of your life now”; and jumped off his boat.

Many a times, our thirst for knowledge ends with a lucrative job. We overlook the truth that to handle the travails of this lucrative job we should widen our knowledge in the spiritual realm. If we get caught in the middle of angry waves, it is the knowledge of God alone that can save us. Knowledge beyond science and mathematics will teach us to be grounded to our values, stay calm and serene and face the trials and tribulations of life with confidence and positive demeanor.