God can help us succeed in life but we must seek his shelter by adhering to dharma

What a wonderful prospect! Yes, it is possible, if we take shelter of God and remain in it. Because God is everything. (Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Geeta 7.19) For that, we have to be engaged in activities according to the instructions of God. And we will benefit in many ways. How else can one remain motivated to pursue the spiritual path? In this process, God is pleased but does not benefit personally in any way, because God is ‘purna’ (complete in all respects).

I will cite three examples and a few reasons to substantiate this. But I will begin with some of the benefits of taking shelter from God and remaining there.God’s instructions promote ‘dharma’ (highest moral and religious principles). Because dharma is the bedrock upon which the Creation is based. God even incarnates when there is a decline in dharma. (4.7) Those, who follow dharma in their behavior are rewarded by God’s Divine Authority.

This is done according to the ‘Karmaphala Principle’, which is: “What we sow we reap.” If one pleases God by spiritual practices additionally, God gets personally involved in the life of His devotee. His very first act is to begin guiding. I am experiencing it. It is simple. I face a challenge /problem. I pray for guidance and help. God gives me intuitions.As the connection with God becomes stronger, God begins helping too. This is a quantum jump because God is omnipotent. Problems get solved and life can go on smoothly. (18.58) Sometimes, we face non-cooperation from others; God even changes the hearts of people. Further progress on the spiritual path helps us to qualify for becoming ‘nimitta’ (instruments) of God, as Arjuna did in the Mahabharata. (11.33) God, as Karta, begins to micromanage the lives of His dear devotees. Reformations begin; because we must help ourselves. And credit for success must also come to us; God does not need it.

Only rarely did God intervene directly, as Lord Krishna did to protect Draupadi from getting humiliated; no one had come forward.Similarly, Lord Krishna had to protect His devotee and friend (4.3) Arjuna after he was about to enter the fire for not being able to kill Jayadratha before sunset, as vowed him.

Lord Krishna brought the sun back and Arjuna was able to kill Jayadratha before the sunset. In these two instances, though the Lord got credit, He did not gain anything, Draupadi and Arjuna gained.God has a plan for whoever takes His shelter. How did the Lord help Goswami Tulsidas? His wife opened his eyes when she told him, “You will attain success in life if you become devoted to Shri Rama instead of to me.” Because Tulsidasji was at the threshold of becoming great by writing epics like Ramacharitmanasa.The conclusion is: get linked with God urgently.

There is so much to gain from God, who has plenty to give. Isn’t God the owner of everything? God is self-sufficient. He creates without any help from anyone. God never gets attached to anyone. If He did, God would become dependent on others to do what He must to keep the Creation going.

I am gaining everything desirable. I could not have imagined what God can and does for me. The quality of my life is steadily improving. Please get started on the spiritual journey; you will never look back.

(The writer is a spiritual guide; views expressed are personal)