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Summary of Question:	Suffering
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Monday, 6/30/2008 5:56 PM MDT

Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa

Waheguru Ji ki fateh


i am very confused. i really can't bear this. why do true sikhs suffer? like in 1984 and so many other times. they have faith in waheguru. then why did they suffer, get hurt? please reply. please help me. thank you.

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REPLY
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Sat Nam,

You maybe surprised but suffering is not a negative thing. It maybe quite unpleasant and unwanted but it is an essential part of life for most people.
Without suffering you will never understand and appreciate joy and happiness. You will never realize what is the better part of life. We are give suffering in life to grow, to become a better people. If we know what pain is we can learn how to rise above it and not to do the same to others.

If we ask for the Guru to give us only happiness how will we recognize it unless we experience unhappiness first. It is like asking the Guru to make it always bright and sunny. It is like having day without night. How can we appreciate the sun without the rain? Without understanding of Karma we will never understand the Dharma.

All of us without exceptions Sikhs or none Sikhs need to learn to appreciate both sides of everything because one side can not exist without the other. This is the fundamental concept of human existence. Accept with happiness and gratitude what ever God gives you. All things pass, the pain fill pass and happiness will pass just as quickly. The main thing to realize is that you do have a choice in every situation. You can chose to be happy no matter what. If you were to close your eyes and imagine the worst thing that could have possibly happen to you ... in that moment you can still chose to be happy. It is completely in your power but requires some practice.

We all have inner resources that can help us get through any situation. Do you have good sense of humor? Do you have ability to elevate people and make them smile even if they are crying? Can you put your faith in God in Guru first and accept that no matter what comes you will accept it with gratitude knowing that all of that is just making you stronger?
These are all very good questions to ask yourself. Pain will come and suffering may come but you can still chose to smile in the face of any adversity and when you do you will feel God and Guru inside of yourself stronger than ever.

DK