If we were fighting a war, we would begin each day by putting on our armor. Actually, we all are at war internally against negative emotions.  The world’s many problematic conditions and our many problematic conditionings can leave us overwhelmed, demoralized, hopeless. 

How can we protect ourselves? By wearing armor, specifically the armor of the knowledge that God loves us. No matter how many difficulties we face, no matter how many deficiencies we have, we are still loved by God, Krishna. He loves us so much that he is personally present in our heart (Bhagavad-gita 15.15) and is our greatest benefactor (05.29). Meditating on his unfailing love strengthens us. 

To mediate on Krishna’s love for us, we need not just intellectual cognition, but also individual realization. Using our intelligence to philosophically appreciate his love for us is helpful, even essential. Additionally and more importantly, we need to realize this truth by a regimen of daily devotional practices that bring us into Krishna’s healing presence. Such practices are best done in the early morning — they are like putting on armor. 

Unfortunately, during our devotional practices, we often get distracted by our conditions and conditionings. Among all such distractions, the most insidious may be the discouraging thought that we are too distracted for our devotional practices to be worthwhile. Thankfully, Krishna’s love for us doesn’t depend on the quality of our devotional practices; just our experience of his love does. We just need to strive to offer him our consciousness to the best of our capacity. 

By thus remembering that Krishna loves us, we can have the armor to survive and succeed in life’s battles. 

One-sentence summary:

Start every morning by putting on the armor of the remembrance that Krishna loves us as we are.

Think it over:

  • Why do we need armor?
  • What is our best armor?
  • What are the problems in putting on our armor? How can we deal with them?

***

05.29: A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.

 

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