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Summary of Question:	Question about God
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Monday, 5/03/1999 10:50 AM MDT

I really find it difficult to believe in one person creating this whole world watching all us suffer, struggling to acheive our objectives, etc. My question is, Is God actually indifferent to Pain and suffering, does he actually care about us? I would like refernce to the Sri Guru Granth Saheb if possible, thank you

Guru Nanak asked this same question of God when Babar was invading India and establishing the Mogul dynasty. He asked God if He did not feel the pain and suffering of the people. It is difficult for us as humans to comprehend the vastness of the Infinite. God is not a person although we attribute human qualities to Him. Guru tells us there are worlds upon worlds, more than we can count or know. Still, it is only here on Earth in the human incarnation that we have the capacity to balance karma and merge back with Him, which is the objective of the whole exercise. As limited humans, we have a limited view of things so the perception we have of suffering, of pain, and of the struggle of life is restricted to what we are capable of understanding. That is why we have Guru because it is through the Guru that our awareness expands and the understanding comes. Each of us incarnates for a reason and those challenges that come to us are to make us grow and bring us closer to God. First, understand that all things come
from God and because God is neutral, that which comes is neutral. However, the mind wants to give a value to everything so we judge it as good or bad. Guru Nanak said in the 25th Pauri of Japji Sahib that even if God were to send unbearable suffering, he would recognise it as coming from God and be grateful. Consider that for a moment. Guru Gobind Singh made us warrriors and gave us a code of the warrior by which all Khalsa try to live. The idea is not simply excellence with arms and fighting, but excellence of the individual. Why is a warrior victorious? Because he or she, faces whatever challenge that comes to them with the attitude that they will overcome it and achieve victory, or die in the attempt to achieve victory. If you can live with that attitude and carry that spirit into your life, then there is no power, no pain, no suffering and no challenge that you can't overcome. If you recognise that you are never alone, that Guru is always with you and that Guru is bigger than your problems, you will find
a different perspective on Life. Guru Nanak told us that if we weren't happy with things to complain to God because He created it. Remember that God, though He is infinite, is bound by two things: the power of prayer and the power of Love and to that He will always bend.

Recite the 25th Pauri of Japji every day for 11 times (after you have recited a full Japji) and see what happens.

Gurutej Singh