Free Will
Scriptures declare that all living beings are instruments in the hands of God. It is He who moves us, and we act according to His directions. Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj cautioned that this commonly accepted scriptural principle, if misunderstood, can lead to our absolute ruin, while at the same time, if understood correctly, it can lead to tremendous spiritual progress. So let us make sure we understand this principle correctly and proceed on our chosen path.
If we accept that God is all-knowing and that He is the doer of our every action, then how could we perform actions of ignorance or make mistakes? If this were so, all our works and deeds would be perfect since God Himself is the embodiment of perfection. If God is the doer, why do we have to suffer for works He has done through us? His nature suggests that He would either bear the results all on His own or forgive Himself. Every an ordinary person would not be so unfair as to do something wrong and then make someone else suffer for it.
If God is the doer, why has He laid down a code of conduct for us to follow in the Vedas? There would be no need for Him to explain the path to perfection or send His representatives to do so. If God is impartial and perfectly just, why does He grant eternal bliss to some and not others? How can He be unjust? If someone rebukes the above claiming this all to be a game of God, and that no one actually experiences happiness or sorrow, then what would be the need for attaining Him and His divine knowledge?
The fact is that God is seated within everyone, and He gives us all the power to act. But what we do with that power is up to us, that is, it is dependent upon our own free will. When you move into your newly constructed home, and all the wiring is finished and the appliances are in, you request the power supplier to connect you to the powerhouse. Once connected, you decide which appliance you use and which you do not — it is entirely your choice.
Similarly, God gives the power to the eyes to see, the ears to hear and the nose to smell, etc. If He did not, then those same sense organs would be useless. Using His power, we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch whatever we want. You can go to a place of worship or the local hotel — the choice is yours. Whatever you decide at any given moment is the result of your own free will. We should therefore make the right choices and seek God with all our strength and take responsibility for our mistakes and strive to not repeat them.
Spirituality in Daily Living, Vol. 3, p.41–43
Vedic knowledge revealed by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj and presented in English by Dr Vishakha Tripathi, president of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.
https://www.jkpliterature.org.in/
https://www.jkpliterature.org.in/spirituality-in-daily-living-3
