What is the way to develop a longing for God?

Ans : In the Gita Sri Krishna says, "The Supreme Spirit is hidden in all beings," and, "The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna." The scriptures again and again bring to our attention this truth that we are never apart from the Being whom we are seeking, and Who is the highest goal of human existence. When we say "highest," we always think of it as something beyond, something distant, something that requires a long journey to reach. We always think in terms of a long process, but the scriptures point out to us that it is an inner journey. We do not have to cover distances. We only have to remove obstacles-the greatest obstacle being ourselves. There are factors in our personalities that are contrary to the Divine Reality and obstruct our experience of It.

The inveterate tendency of our psychological self is to always move away from the inner centre and move outside to external objects. It is the tendency of the mind to imagine that happiness, peace and the fulfilment of our lives lies in striving for and possessing external things. Therefore, the most familiar and most intimate appear to be remote-not that it is, but we make it so. To alter these outgoing tendencies becomes an indispensable part of our sadhana, and it is an extraordinary quality of this delusion that it doesn't allow the deluded being to perceive that he is deluded. On the contrary, he will argue and fight and try to convince others that he is perfectly clear and logical. So, the world is in the grip of this delusion that does not permit them to know their delusion; on the contrary, they are convinced that they are right and that those who do not think like them are deluded. It is through satsang and svadhyaya that this delusion is removed and right understanding and knowledge replace ignorance. That marks the turning of our direction towards God.

We must come to the conviction that God is present right here, nearest to me as my innermost being. God lives within me; we are never apart, and the next conviction is to know that this Being is the only source of true happiness, peace and satisfaction. There is no other source. The other necessary conviction is that this Being is the highest value in life. There is nothing greater, nothing more important. If we make seeking Him our most important task in life, if we develop a great longing for Him, a great desire and an overwhelming yearning and if our whole being becomes filled with this urge, then there is absolutely no doubt that in this very life God will be experienced. No matter how deluded the world outside may be, no matter how chaotic and absurd, it does not matter if your interior is all right. It is in the firm conviction of God's existence and in His most intimate and nearest presence that you develop within yourself a great longing to attain and experience God, then you may be absolutely certain that nothing can deprive you of that experience. It may be a question of a little sooner or later, but the experience is certain. There is no doubt about it.