Many people have recounted that God helped them when they needed it the most

Yes, both are facts. God is unfathomable. Let us see what we know about God from the Bhagavad-Geeta. Because we can know about God from God Himself. Whatever else, is speculation and should never be attempted. In verse #10.41 of the Bhagavad-Geeta, Lord Krishna states, “Whatever is opulent, effulgent or even energetic, all that you should know as produced from a fragment of My splendour.” (10.41) What is our position? We require everything material needed by us for maintaining selves from external sources. But God, as unimaginable as He is, He is very generous too. Sanjaya of the Mahabharata fame describes, “Where there is the yogeshwara Shri Krishna and where there is the archer Arjuna, there will be opulence, victory, wealth and morality.” (18.78) What then will be lacking?

Lord Krishna informs that whenever there is a decline in ‘dharma’ (religion) and there is ascending of immorality, I incarnate Myself in the world. (4.7) And what is our position? We are forced to take different material bodies helplessly life after life till we develop God's consciousness. Then, God liberates us from the ocean of death-bound existence. (12.7) God is omnipresent as described in the Geeta, “God only is outside and inside of all living entities, in non-moving and moving too; unknown due to being subtle, and situated far away also, and nearby too; it is God only.” (13.15) What is our position? We can be in one place at any given time, but God can give us divine vision if pleased by us as He gave to Arjuna. (11.8)

God is all of them. What does He expect from us? He instructs, “In all respects take shelter of God only. By His mercy you shall achieve supreme peace and the eternal abode.” (18.62) Yes, both; the greatest boons are available to us. Peace, which is not possible despite gaining great material wealth, power, etc., can only be had from God, who alone is its source. The same is true about God’s eternal abode, which is completely different from our miserable earth planet. (8.15)

Additionally, God begins to respond to us. Innumerable devotees of God have experienced God giving them intuitions, instructions through dreams, help using other human beings as mediums, etc. How else are we going to continue the ‘tapasya’ path unless we get encouragement from our Master?

I have chosen four types of boons God grants to us if we qualify for them. The first one and the most sought-after is through ‘siddha push. They are perfected persons, who have achieved a high degree of physical as well as spiritual perfection/ enlightenment.

People, who have good ‘karmaphalas’ waiting to come to fruition, approach such persons. And they get their desires fulfilled or are rewarded handsomely. Such siddha purush are given great respect and their lives are highly fulfilling. The other type of boon is a change of heart. As we cannot choose whom we are related to or have to deal with, God effects change in their hearts momentarily such that they drop their ill feelings towards us, and don’t obstruct us in crucial times.

Doctors get the right inspiration when treating devotees of God. There is a famous story about a very special brain surgeon landing on the doorstep of a mother of a child, who needed a difficult brain surgery she had been praying for a long time and the miracle happened; this surgeon agreed to operate on her child. The last one is of no less significance. Many religious bodies survive on sundry collections. On days when funds have run out for maintenance, we hear stories of devotees going out for donations and the day proves more than fruitful. How does it happen? The merciful God inspires people to become generous.

God is involved in our lives much more than we can imagine. He is not a silent bystander. Every soul is individually being watched and helped, who qualifies for such attention. And God can do anything He desires by His willpower, which is unlimited.

(The writer is a spiritual teacher)