Is God Responsible for Our Misery?
If God exists, why is there so much suffering in the world? A barber's conversation with a customer raises an unexpected question.
A man went to a barbershop for a haircut.
As the barber began cutting his hair, the two struck up a casual conversation. They talked about various things until the subject turned to God.
Barber: "I don't believe God exists."
Customer (surprised): "Why do you say that?"
Barber: "Just look around you! If God existed, would there be so many sick people? Would there be so much violence and killing? So much pain and suffering? I cannot imagine how God, if He existed, could allow so much misery in the world."
The customer considered responding but decided against it, not wanting to start an unpleasant argument.
After his haircut, he paid the barber and left the shop.
Just outside, he noticed an elderly beggar with long, tangled hair and an untrimmed beard. The man looked dirty and unkempt.
Suddenly, the customer had an idea.
He turned around, walked back into the barbershop, and declared, "I don't believe barbers exist!"
The barber stared at him in surprise.
"What do you mean? I just cut your hair! How can you say barbers don't exist?"
But the customer insisted, "No, barbers don't exist."
The barber demanded an explanation.
The customer pointed toward the elderly beggar outside.
"If barbers existed, why would that man have such long, unkempt hair and an untrimmed beard?"
The barber burst out laughing.
"Of course barbers exist! That man looks that way because he doesn't come to a barber!"
The customer replied: "Exactly! In the same way, there is so much pain and misery in the world not because God does not exist, but because people do not turn to Him and seek refuge at His lotus feet."
Moral
Just as the barber serves those who come to his shop, God takes care of those who surrender to Him. Unlike the barber, God charges nothing. He does so solely because He is gracious by nature.
In fact, God has already given us a human body, revealed the Vedas, and sent Saints to show us the path to Him.
Yet, we ignore their teachings and continue running after worldly happiness. When we suffer the consequences of our choices, we blame God.
But can we blame God for our misery when we refuse to follow the path He has shown us?
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