When we pray for help amidst problems but our prayer isn’t answered, we ask: “Why is Krishna not helping?”

Krishna does help, but his help doesn’t always match our expectation. Why not? Because he sees things differently from us. We see the present and plan the future, whereas he sees the future and plans the present. The Bhagavad-gita (07.26) states that he knows past, present and future. He knows what present actions will lead to what complications and treats us accordingly.

Suppose a child who has some pain seeks medical help. The doctor recognizes that the pain symptomizes a potentially serious infection and focuses on treating that infection, not its symptom. When the doctor gives a series of injections, the child feels that the doctor has aggravated the pain, not mitigated it. But if the child takes the treatment patiently, he will become healthier and feel better.

The same dynamic applies to Krishna’s help. He knows what future dangers may befall us, dangers for which our present problems are precursors or symptoms. Accordingly, he may focus not just on solving our specific problems, but on treating the impurities or karmic imbalances that make us vulnerable to those dangers.

Instead of worrying why our prayer hasn’t been answered, we can strive for understanding and service attitude: understanding to make better sense of the way things are unfolding, and service attitude to stay fixed in our attempts to serve our Lord.

When we thus submit to Krishna’s will with patience, we grow spiritually, finding shelter and strength through absorption in him. In due course, we discover that he has expertly brought good out of the bad. Thereafter, we become empowered with the conviction that even if it seems Krishna isn’t helping, he is always helping.

 

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