Friendship with God

Spirituality and Spiritual Practice

by Jayaram V

All the gods in the heaven of Brahman adore in contemplation their Infinite Supreme Spirit. This is why they have all joy, and all of the worlds and all desires. And the man who on this earth finds and knows Atman, his own self, has all his holy desires and all the worlds and all joy. - Chandogya Upanishad

Those who worship me fixing their minds always upon me, with unflinching sincerity and supreme faith, I consider them to be most perfect in Yoga - The Bhagavadgita

If any man be in Christ, there is a new creation, behold, all things are become new - St.Paul

I think of Agni as Father, as Kinsman, as Brother, as a Friend for ever. Rig Veda, 10.7.3


You may have a thousand friends, but is God one among them? How frequently do you think of Him and seek His advise in your personal matters? Most people rush to God in times of trouble, but do you seek him when you need general counsel? This essay suggest a simple practice to manifest the power of God and His guidance in your daily life.

Make God your intuitive companion. Entreat Him to be there all the time with you and help you in all your endeavors. Make Him your close Confident, your trusted advisor, in whom you can confide all your secrets and to whom you can pour out all your woes.

Make Him your Divine Companion, some one whom you cannot leave, some one whom you cannot forego and some one who is always there with you, wherever you are, whatever you are doing and whatever you are thinking.

Share with Him your thoughts and your fears, your secrets and your laughter, your life and your goals, your losses and your gains. And as you prepare yourself to rest, let Him enter your heart and lead you to beautiful dreams or undisturbed peace.

It is through friendship with God that you realize the true meaning of friendship that rests upon the values of trust, faith and unconditional love. It is through our friendship with Him, we realize the purpose and significance of our very existence.

Your friendship with God may start as a mere imagination on your part. With belief and faith you may act as if He is there with you, responding to your request and listening to your heart. Know that imagination is the power of God inherited by you as a part of your creation. It is diluted by the weaknesses of your mind, but enriched by the brilliance of your vision. If you practice with perseverance and certitude of faith, you would soon realize that something that began as a mere imagination in your mind, has taken shape into a living reality , bringing God right into the center of your world and your life.

In the beginning you will have many expectations from Him and at times you may be even disappointed with His responses, for He does not think the way we think and does not act the way we expect Him to act.

He has reasons for every thing that happens to us which are not entirely known to us. But live in the assurance that whatever He is causing to manifest in your life is a part of His mysterious divine plan, in which the ultimate outcome can only be your good and your welfare.

He who spends his entire day in the company of God is never lost to Him. God will take care of all his responsibilities and will look after all his needs. This is the message conveyed to us by the true followers of God in all the religions.

In the company of God we have nothing to lose except our pettiness and partial vision. With Him as our friend and benefactor, we have all the riches of the worlds at our disposal.

In the light of His love and the power of His Truth, we are freed from the diseases of the human mind and the pettiness of our ordinary egoistic consciousness. He imparts to us such qualities that are only heard but not experienced. He develops in us a vision that is rare to achieve by ordinary mortals. He pours into our lives such delight and depth of experience which we can hardly even imagine.

In your friendship with God, do not be a mere passive receiver of favors and blessings. Reciprocate with all your heart and sincerity, like a true friend, with whatever you have. instead of seeking favors from Him, give Him every thing that you believe is truly yours. Deflect to him every thing that comes to you as a reward or appreciation. Set aside all ideas of ownership and make Him the true owner of your life and your wealth.

Offer to Him your life and achievements in the spirit of true friendship with a sense of unparalleled sacrifice. Live a life that is not truly yours but of God. Live a life that is based not on your petty human considerations but on the sacred values of divine life.

It is in this giving and in this initiative, you will taste the true value a friendship that is eternal and immutable in nature. It is through this sacrifice that you become a true companion to God. Not by seeking His favors or by using Him to further your own egoistic ambitions.

When we overcome the need to use God for our own ends we achieve the right to enter into a true relationship with Him. When we lose the urge to impress Him in order to gain His favors, we transcend wants and desires and become closer to Him. When we lose everything in order to gain Him we really find in Him a true and valuable companion who would stay with us till eternity.

Now, you may wonder to which God we are referring here. God in this context is the highest supreme Self, your personal God, family deity, or your inner Self. Choose any of them, but just one so that your mind can be stabilized in that.

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