There is a beautiful story told of a man who wanted to walk on water. He begged his Guru to give him a secret Mantra or a special boon so he could complete this remarkable feat. The man was extremely pious and devoted, and he had been in his Guru's service for many years. So the Guru gave him a leaf, folded many times until is was very small. He told his disciple, "Within this leaf is a secret formula which will enable you to walk on water. However, you must not open it because the formula inside is a secret."

So the man agreed, and he took the folded leaf carefully in his hands and begins his journey across the river. He is walking fine when suddenly he is overcome by curiosity. What could be this secret formula? Is there really a secret inside? Is it a powder or a stone or some holy Mantra printed? Where did his Guru get it? His doubts get the best of him and he begins slowly to open the leaf as he walks, careful lest any of the secret formula should spill out into the water. As soon as he unfolds the last piece to unveil the secret, he suddenly sinks into the water and drowns. Inside the leaf was written the simple word, "faith."

It was not the leaf, nor any secret powder or Mantra that enabled the devotee to accomplish a miracle. It was the strength of his faith in his Guru and in the "boon" his Guru had given him. As soon as that faith wavered and doubt crept in, his life was lost. This is the power of faith.

As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend
I brought my broken dreams to God, because He was my friend.
But, instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried, "how could you be so slow?"
"My child," He answered, "what could I do? You never did let go."

That "letting go" is the faith. If we can surrender to the Guru with complete faith, he will transform our lives. However, if we "hang around" and doubt and think that we know better than he does, then we gain nothing.