I Am Having an Unusual Amount of Problems, What Is Happening?

Dear Rashid,

To put your question in other words: “I am having an unnatural amount of problems, they are haunting me, so much so that it seems that some outer force is at work, harming me.”

It is more probable, however, that the problem is not any ghost etc., but that you are going through a very tough time in your evolution. These times happen, and they will pass again.

Meanwhile, try to think of your problems not as something negative, but as a conscious gift from the Almighty. He gives you this much “load” only because He knows you are strong enough to carry it, to handle it. He wants you to grow stronger. A boxer, Yogananda explained, will never get strong fighting against weaklings, but needs a strong challenge. But again, Yogananda explained that the Compassionate One never gives us more than we are able to handle. Think about it! And more: everything comes as a hidden blessing, as as an important lesson for our life.

So ask yourself: “What is the Almighty trying to teach me with all these problems? What am I supposed to learn? Maybe more wisdom, or more strength, or more love, or more detachment, or more happiness in spite of everything, or maybe these incredible problems are pushing me back to the Divine Presence as my only anchor?” Life is a big school for our character, and sometimes our souls are forged in the fire of testing. Diamonds similarly are produced by heat and pressure of the earth. Without that pressure they would remain common stones.

Sometimes there are times of tests, however, when they are really too much and too strong, and all we can do is hold on to life, to our inner balance, trying not to drown. But once we are a bit more stable on our feet again, it is wise to say “YES” to these tough situations, “I welcome them all, since they are my teachers, given to me from Above.”

All the best to you, God bless you, in divine friendship,
Jayadev