One night a man had a dream. He dreamt he was walking along the beach with the lord. Across the skies flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of foot prints in the sand. One belonging to him and the other to the lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the foot prints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of foot prints. He also noticed that this happened at the very lowest and saddest time of his life.

This really bothered him and questioned the lord about it. O Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of foot prints. I do not understand why, when I needed you most you would leave me?

The lord replied, ‘My son, My precious child. During your times of trial and suffering, when you have seen only one set of prints, it was then that I carried you.’


- Ramesh Jain

 
While I was returning from my pilgrimage and proceeding towards railway station to catch my train I met with an accident and broke my leg. I had to get admitted to a local hospital for 2 days and could not catch the train in which I had my reservation. I was very upset that God does not take care of us even when we are in pilgrimage (in his abode). On the next day of cancelled trip I was shocked to read in the news papers that the train in which I was to travel, met with an accident and many people died in the accident. The coach in which I was booked was the worst affected. Then only I realized that God had actually protected me with a small leg bone fracture and not allowing me to travel in the train which was supposed to meet with an accident. I couldn’t offer better gratitude than the tears which flowed from my eyes.

Q: If God is ruling the creation why then there should be so much suffering and differentiation in the world?

A: God makes universal rules for the people to follow. Science of Cause and Effect (Karma theory) is based on these principles. Each individual performs action based on the free will given to him. Every action performed attracts corresponding results form the universe and thus one experiences happiness or sorrow, loss or profit, good or bad and favorable or unfavorable situations in life. The soul which is eternal and does not die with the death of physical body enjoys or suffers the results of its own action (Karma) birth after birth. It may sometimes so happen that the action is performed in one birth and the result comes in the next. This confuses us as we cannot co-relate the result to a corresponding action in the same birth.

When we regularly pray to God and seek forgiveness from him as well as from people whom we have hurt, we get protection from God.