Weakness versus Strength

As an unlit individual, I boast, I brag. I say, "I have tremendous strength." But when an insignificant ant bites me, I am unnerved, I am irritated. A mere mosquito disturbs my inner poise. I have the strength to destroy hundreds and thousands of mosquitoes, but I am conquered by a little mosquito or an ant. Why? Precisely because I live in the body.

We make ourselves feel that we are stronger than the senses, but the senses are really stronger than we are. Unless and until we have realised the highest Truth, the senses are infinitely more powerful. They are compelling us to do what they want. But if we live in the soul, then the senses are under our control. If we live in the soul, if our consciousness becomes totally one with the soul, which is the source of light and delight, then mosquitoes can bite, ants can bite; the whole world, like a venomous snake, can bite. We will remain unperturbed; we will remain in the sea of silence and tranquility.

Let us look at self-indulgence as something that we think is very insignificant or very easy to conquer, but that we are allowing to enter into us. Some people say, "I smoke, true, but I can easily stop smoking." In this way they go on for months and years. They can conquer smoking, they say, but after twenty years they see how difficult it is. They do not, they cannot stop.

When people surrender to their weaknesses, we shall see how they ruin their lives. One philosophy is that we shall only pray and meditate on God, and God will take care of the rest of the world. But again, we can also look around; we can watch others and learn from their experiences. Let us say that I want to touch fire because I feel that fire is so charming. But if I see that somebody else has touched fire and now his hand is burnt, why shall I also do the same thing? Has God not shown me that someone else has burnt his fingers by touching fire? We can see what happens when others allow weaknesses to control them. Weakness itself is power, negative power. We have to use the positive strength to conquer our weakness, and that positive strength is our love of God. That is the only way.

There is no such thing As a fruitful self-enjoyment. There is no such thing As a fruitful self-denial. There is only one thing Eternally fruitful: God-acceptance in all.

- Sri Chinmoy

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