Question: How may we strengthen our inner faith in God when we are beset with discouragements in our daily life?

Sri Chinmoy: Please try to feel from now on that there is Somebody around you who does not want anything from you except joy. There is Somebody who wants you always to swim in the Sea of Joy and Delight. If you can remain in joy - I don't mean the outer joy of going here and there, mixing with people, buying material things - but if you can have real joy and inner fulfilment, then you will automatically have faith in God.

When we are worried, or are afraid of something, we immediately try to create a kind of self-imposed faith in God. This is not true faith. When we are in danger, we say, "God, save me, save me!" But we say this only to avert danger. This is an escape. This kind of faith does not last. Everything is inside a person, both joy and fulfilment. But who is the possessor of this inner fulfilment? It is God. We are just His devoted instruments. When we feel spontaneous inner joy as part and parcel of our life, and we feel its source, we can then have faith in God, the possessor of infinite Joy. From now on, please try to feel your own inner joy, and faith will come to you spontaneously. In regard to your outer frustrations, please do not try to unite them with your inner joy. Please separate your inner joy from the outer happenings. Only then will you be able to strengthen your faith in God.

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