There are many influences that nourish desires in you. When you see a new model car, you want one. When you see a new model house, you want one. Some new style of apparel comes out and immediately you yearn to wear that fashion. Whence do these desires come? I used to sit for hours pondering this. Can you classify all your desires? I sorted mine, and kept only the good ones; and when I had the contact of God, I found all those good desires at once fulfilled. Today you wish for one thing and tomorrow you hanker after something else. Your mind, having descended from almighty God, is not satisfied with the offerings of this world; and it will never be satisfied, because you have lost your soul’s richest treasure, which alone can satisfy all your desires, and that is God.
It is true there are some good and necessary desires, and you should strive to fulfill them. But never forget, while pursuing your little desires, to satisfy first your supreme desire- for God. Belief in the necessity of fulfilling lesser desires and duties first is man’s greatest delusion. I well remember that during my training as a young disciple of my guru, Swami Sri Yukteswarji, I kept promising myself daily, “I will meditate longer tomorrow.” A whole year slipped by before I realized that I was still putting it off. At once I made a resolution that first thing in the morning I would clean my body and then meditate long. But even then, as soon as I stirred about I became caught up in my daily duties and activities. Thereupon I resolved to have my meditation first. Thus I learned a great lesson: First comes my duty to God, and then I take care of all lesser duties. Why not? God says, “Why should I open the doors of eternity to you, when you put other duties before Me? If you are not soaring to the heights of Spirit, of what account are you? You have nothing to offer God or man.
So seek Him first. To give more importance to your earthly duties is false reasoning, because at any moment the angel Gabriel may call you- at any moment you may be taken away from here. Why then give so much importance to life? for life is very peculiar. You think you are quite secure. Suddenly a loved one dies, or you lose your health, and all security vanishes. How I loved my mother and thought she would be with me always, and suddenly I found she was gone! Don’t be afraid of death, but be prepared for it.
Life is not what it seems to be. Don’t trust it, for it is very tricky, and full of disappointments. Perfection was not meant to be found here. I am not giving you a false picture of life. This is not the kingdom of God; it is God’s laboratory, where He is testing souls to see if they will overcome evil desires by good ones, and make Him their supreme desire, so that they can return home to His kingdom.
Extract from the book “Man’s Eternal Quest” By Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda.