Volume
The Message Papers
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Divine Guidance
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5. Punishment
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The Message Papers
Divine Guidance
5. Punishment
The fifth way of divine guidance is the way of punishment, in the form of a loss in business, in the form of a loss of friendship, in the form of a loss of health and strength, in the form of a loss of happiness and joy. Then a lesson is taught, and that becomes very difficult.
Very often a person says, "How cruel God can be." But one does not know that four methods were used first, and when all those four methods were not understood by man then the fifth method was used. It is most kind of God; it is the greatest compassion, that four opportunities were given. If one would learn; if one would understand. And when one has lost the four opportunities, then the fifth opportunity is given. It is an opportunity, too.
No matter in what form a punishment comes, as Tagore says, "It is the tuning of the string; the string of the violin is tuned."
And while tuning, the string stretches, but it is brought to its proper tone. The punishment in one's life is the same. No matter what its form, when it comes, it comes to raise man's consciousness. There are many punishments which we can see and recognize, and there are many punishments which we cannot see and recognize. And there are many punishments which are in the form of reward, and yet they are worse punishments, and no one recognizes it. But at the same time, what is the punishment? The punishment of the God of compassion is a reward too.
God Bless You.
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