Our internal characteristics that we’ve developed through uncountable lifetimes of doing our own karm (actions and their consequences), those inner characteristics are allowed to manifest through God’s power. In other words, He gives us the power to think. He gives us the power to see, hear, speak, and do everything.
But just like we don’t blame the rain for what kind of seeds sprout out of the ground, we can’t blame God for what kind of thoughts come out of our mind. He’s giving us the power to think, but our own inner nature is our own doing. We’ve developed that nature through infinite lifetimes. So it’s up to us to change that nature.
If we want to, we can change, so souls have total independence to perform their actions according to their own free will. God is not controlling our actions, so we can’t blame Him for what we do, and we can’t blame Him for what we don’t do.
“Yeah, I know I haven’t done any bhakti (devotion) yet. It’s because Krishna hasn’t graced me. I mean, what can I do? He’s in control of everything. When He graces me, then I’ll start sadhana (spiritual practice). When He graces me, then I’ll go for the intensive.”
I hear so many people give comments. If I invite them,
“Come for this special devotional program! Come and visit Radha Madhav Dham! Experience what it’s like to stay in a devotional environment for an extended period.”
Almost 50% of the time the answer I get is, “Oh yes, when Krishna graces me, then I’ll go!”
So what will Krishna’s grace look like? In what form will it take? Will it be Him going online and booking your ticket for you? Will it be Him telling your boss you need that time off? I mean, what form of grace are you expecting?
His grace has produced Radha Madhav Dham, and His grace has made it known to you, through some way, that Radha Madhav Dham exists and this devotional program is happening. So it’s a case of ‘you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink’. The horse has to want to drink.
So we have to want to do devotion. Krishna is already doing everything.
