May 11

God Is Honoring You

Question: How can a devotee honor God?

Sri Gurudev: God doesn’t look for your honor. If you want to honor God, express God’s image, that part of God that is functioning in you. Put yourself into God’s hands. As the Bhagavad Gita proclaims, “Whatever you do, whatever you enjoy, whatever penance you perform, in essence everything that you think, speak or do, do it as an offering to God.” Sri Krishna tells Arjuna, “Do it as an offering to me.” God isn’t asking for something of yours to be offered. If it’s yours, why should God ask for it? The truth is, nothing belongs to us. Even our thoughts and ideas. Everything happens due to God’s presence in this frame. Without God’s energy, without God’s Will, you cannot even think. The intelligence that you seem to possess is not yours; it’s part of God’s intelligence. The breath that you breathe is part of God’s. The water that you drink belongs to God. The food that you eat belongs to God. Everything already belongs to God. So what is it that you are offering?

Then why should Krishna say, “Do it as an offering to me”? He is saying, “If you feel that they are yours, at least offer them to me.” But it is even better to recognize that they never were yours. Ultimately you realize, “There’s nothing for me to offer. On the other hand, You are the one who is doing everything through me. Even the offering is done by You to You.” That way we really honor God. When you reach the highest level, you feel, “Everything already belongs to You. What is it that I am offering You? The only way to honor You is to know that You are honoring me by using me as Your instrument. At any time You can turn off the switch. I am thankful that You are still using me; You haven’t discarded me as a blunt tool.” Your vision takes a 180-degree turn. Instead of your honoring God, you realize that God is honoring you every minute.