We do not have to hunt for God as if God is lost. God dwells within us, and we exist within the nest of God’s presence. The problem is that our attention tends to be infatuated with everything but God, when in reality spirituality is an inside job. Our conscious contact with God takes place within our minds, hearts, and souls. One of the major distractions relative to the struggle to experience God’s presence is our obsession with the past. Far too often we are mired in regrets, past misdeeds, or guilt and shame which blind us to the ever-present reality of God’s loving presence. Sooner or later, we have to let go of the past because God is experienced only in the here and now. Sri Yukteswar tells us, “Forget the past. The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until anchored in the Divine. Everything in the future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.”
Trust in God’s mercy, goodness, and graciousness. Let yourself up. Say goodbye to your past. Ignore your mental habits. Today is a new day, overflowing with goodness, grace, and God’s abundant presence. Live today as though it is the very first day of creation, void of karma and teeming with new and unimagined possibilities. Instead of living today with tired stories and toxic emotions, live with childlike imagination, curiosity, and wonder. If any given moment calls for tears, let yourself cry, and if any given moment brings you great merriment, then laugh until you cry. Let life manifest in you and through you, unbridled by past events. Yogananda tells us, “Live each moment completely and the future will take care of itself. Fully enjoy the wonder and beauty of each moment.”
Gospel Truth and Yogananda’s Wisdom
