Sometimes you feel that you have not harmed anyone in your present life, or even thought ill of anyone, yet you are suffering and going through misery. This question is very common. We often have a very limited understanding of our own life, and think that life is just this short time span of 50-60 years.
You should always remember that people’s ideas, emotions and opinions keep on changing. Everything changes. Many friends become enemies and enemies become friends. You are friends with somebody and suddenly for no obvious reason they become your enemy. You have not done anything wrong to anyone, yet they turn out to be unfriendly towards you. Sometimes people who you do not even know will come to your help. You have not done them any great favour, yet they help you. This friendship and animosity works on a deeper principle called karma.
If your time is good, your worst enemies also start behaving like your friends. And if your time is not good, then your closest friends too will misunderstand you and start behaving like your enemies. If you look back, you will realise that somewhere you have sown the seeds for a tree of thorns. So today, or sometime later, you will surely have to reap the thorns of that tree.
There are two types of karma: one that immediately gives fruit and second, one that yields fruit sometime later. For example, if you place your hand in a fire, you will immediately get burnt, right now, not tomorrow or any time later. But if you sow a mango seed today, it will take a few years for it to grow into a tree. In the same way, some karma yields their fruits almost instantly, while some take time to bear fruit.
Look back at your own life and see how many challenges you have had and how you have sailed through them and come out. This will give you confidence. The other option is to realise that you have to pay some debt, and so you are undergoing what you are undergoing. But do not think that every problem or suffering that you go through is only because of your actions from past lifetimes. Some of it also comes because of the foolishness and ignorance from the present lifetime also.
You cannot simply say that the people who are good keep suffering, or keep going through difficult times. People also suffer because of their own foolishness, and because of their ignorance. If someone says, ‘I am very good and noble’, and then goes and puts his hand in fire, then he is bound to get burnt. You should also have a presence of mind and use your intelligence before you act. To free yourself from the results of past actions, you should be regular with sadhana (spiritual practices).When you see this from a bigger perspective, great inner strength dawns within you and you are able to smile through any situation.
