The master was traveling with one of his students. Very tired, late in the evening they stopped for the night in a caravanserai. That evening it was the student’s turn to look after the camel, but he didn’t bother about it and left the camel on the street.
He simply prayed to God:
“Take care of the camel,” said the student, and went to bed.
In the morning the camel was not there - it was stolen, or maybe it ran away. The master asked:
- Where is our camel?
- Don't know. “Ask God,” the student answered blithely. “I told Him to take care of the camel.” I was tired too, so I don't know what happened. It’s not my fault, because I asked God, and very politely! You always taught me: “Trust God,” and I entrusted the camel to Him.
“Yes, it’s true, you need to trust God,” the Master told him. “But you should have been the first to take care of the camel - after all, God has no other hands but yours.” Believe in God, but tie your camel at night. If God wants to look after the camel, he must use someone's hands. He has no other way. And this is your camel!
The best way, the easiest and shortest, is to do everything yourself. Do the best you can. In this case, there is no desire for the result, there is no guarantee. So you do what you can, and then something happens in accordance with your actions. This is the meaning of taking care of the camel: do what you can, do not shirk responsibility, and then, regardless of whether something happens or nothing happens, trust God...
It is very easy to trust God and be lazy. It is just as easy to distrust God and be a doer. The third way is difficult - trust God and be a doer. But then you are a tool. God is the real performer, you are just an instrument in his hands. Such activity is a type of prayer, without the desire for a specific result. This is not dichotomy. Trust will help you remain undivided, and taking care of the camel will help you to be alive and vital.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru