Doubt, faith and aspiration

A doubter is a loser. In the spiritual life if we feel that by doubting ourselves we are going to reach our goal faster, then we are totally mistaken. Doubt is nothing but a destructive force. We have to be aware of the undivine power that doubt has. If we know that doubt will destroy us, then naturally we will be most careful. If we know the serious punishment that we will get from doubt, then we will not cherish doubt or allow doubt to enter into us. By doubting, a seeker only wastes his time. Instead of doubting, the wise seeker uses his time for self-search and self-cultivation. In self-search he realises the Highest, the Goal of boundless Peace, Light and Bliss. If we doubt our own capacity, we are making a mistake. If we know how much capacity we have, we encourage that capacity to grow and expand. If we doubt our capacity, then we are doomed.

There is a weapon to conquer doubt, and that is faith. Our faith is infinitely more powerful than doubt, and God has given us this faith in abundant measure. Faith is within us but we do not allow our faith to come to the fore. Instead, we allow strangers who are not actually ours to come into our lives. These strangers are fear, doubt, anxiety and other undivine forces. We know that fear does not belong to us — that doubt is a thief. We know we should not allow intruders or thieves to enter us. But the one that is our very own, the faith-child, we do not allow to come to the fore and transform our life.

In the spiritual life there is only one rule, and that is to have faith. Faith is like a muscle: it can be developed. As we develop our muscles if we exercise regularly, we can also exercise and increase our inner capacity. God does not bring anybody into the world without giving him capacity. Through regular practice we can become inwardly strong. If we concentrate and meditate soulfully and sincerely each morning, then doubt cannot play its destructive role in us. As we become stronger in our inner life we will be able to say, “Let doubt attack me. I shall be able to maintain my perfect faith.”

Negative forces, like everything else have pride. Very soon doubt will feel that it is beneath its dignity to be constantly rejected and denied. Doubt will soon leave us if we do not welcome it. If we ignore doubt, if we treat it as a stranger or a foreigner, its pride will be hurt and it will leave us for good. By meditating regularly and devotedly we can protect ourselves from the entrance of doubt.

Faith is our most powerful weapon. If we want and need faith we have to cultivate the inner soil. How do we cultivate the inner soil? What is the plough? It is aspiration. When we cultivate we need the seed, we need water and we need the sun. Aspiration embodies the seed; the water and the sun in the spiritual life. In aspiration there is everything. So if we have sincere aspiration, sincere inner cry, then doubt cannot last in us.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Two devouring brothers: doubt and ego, Agni Press, 1974
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