God’s Grace Part 2

“So to receive God’s grace, we first have to receive our own grace — and that grace is egoless ness. Everyone needs to have the attitude of a beginner. Try always to have that attitude. It will prevent the hood of the ego from rising. You may think, “If I always remain a beginner, doesn’t that mean that I’ll never make any progress?” iv>

This is not so at all, because having the attitude of a beginner simply means that we retain the innocence and total receptivity of a beginner, which is the only way we can truly, and as quickly as possible, develop our knowledge.

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You may wonder how you will be able to function in society and do your work if you’re always innocent and childlike. But to be innocent and childlike doesn’t mean to be a weakling — far from it! You have to be strong and assertive if the situations so demand. But still, you should always, as far as possible, be as open and receptive as a child.

Our bodies have grown, but our minds are not expansive. To make the mind expand and embrace the whole universe, we have to become like children. Only a child can grow. Today the mind is full of egoism. All our effort should be directed towards destroying the ego.

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Say that two cars are coming from opposite directions along a narrow road. If both the drivers refuse to stop and give way, neither of them will be able to move forward. If, however, just one of them is prepared to back up and move aside, both can proceed.

The one who is forgiven, as well as the one who forgives, are able to advance. This is why it is said that to forgive is to advance. Forgiveness uplifts both the giver and the receiver. We should understand the practical side of everything and act accordingly. The ego can never be anything but an obstacle to real progress.

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God is only compassionate towards us. He constantly bestows his grace upon us, even more than we deserve by our actions. God is not a judge who rewards us for our good deeds or punishes us for our bad actions. God is the fountainhead of compassion.

He forgives us for our mistakes and showers His compassion on us. But God can save us only if there is some positive effort on our part. If that effort is lacking, we cannot receive His grace. So it isn’t God’s fault — it is our fault.

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We are not isolated islands, but are all connected, like links of the same chain. We are part of the chain of life. Our every action, whether deliberate or not, affects everyone. It isn’t right to think that we will become good only when everyone else has changed.

Most people have this attitude. We should be willing to change even if others refuse to do so. Thinking that we will change for the better only after those around us have changed, is like hoping to enter the sea after all the waves have subsided.

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So instead of waiting for others to improve, we should make an effort to improve ourselves. When we do this, we will behold a change in others as well. When we cultivate only goodness within us, we will see only the essential goodness everywhere. So we have to be alert in our every thoughts, feelings, decisions and actions.