Today's lesson we find that renunciation, if forcefully applied, denies one the pleasure of their desires which may be thwarting Gods desires and pleasures. You can not determine value by simply reading words. Value is learned, experienced. A Yogi may choose the life of ascetics because he or she begins to understand, through however many incarnations, that which may be considered Absolute(Truth). Yogananda makes reference as well, in the introductory portions of GTWA, "Anyone will find solitude tormenting if his mind dwells on what he has renounced and not on the all-absorbing Divine presence." Simply turning away from the object of your desire isn't renunciation. Renunciation is having attained your desire first then, having learned some value from it, understanding that this too was not the highest aim. Inayat Khan suggest we pursue our desires, as being led by God, with a patient and hopeful attitude. Patient with ourselves and others, hopeful with ourselves and others. Here we are reminded that all paths lead to One... In short, renunciation is a stage in the souls evolution for attaining reality everlasting. One day, we may lay ourselves down(ego) Willingly from either our own dissatisfaction with the World or from the observation of others. When All becomes One, there is only Love. Fortunately, we are inspired and guided by those before us who have dared to experience this Oneness and serve humanity towards the highest attainment.
In the words of Beloved Murshid Inayat Khan... "The Way of Attainment"
... We should think that the wish to have it is the sign of our being capable of having it. Behind our wish there is God's wish, Who has all might, all greatness, all wealth.
... If we say, "I cannot have my wish. It is not intended by the will of God. I am resigned to the will of God", that is not resignation. Why should it not be meant for us to have our wish? Behind our will there is the will of God. God desires it through us. Christ said, "If ye desire bread, He will not give a stone". By this we see that it is natural for us to have our desire, it is natural for us to have health and riches and success and all things. It is unnatural to have illnesses and failures and miseries. But if, after gaining all the wealth in the world, position and titles, then we give it up, then that will be true renunciation.
... Of all attainments that only which is everlasting can satisfy us in the end.
Until we attain to that, it is right for us to have all desires, all wishes, and to rise from each attainment to the higher, until we attain to the highest.
... Why do not all want fame, why do not all want all the money in the world? Why do not all want to be prime minister? Because each soul's attainment is according to its evolution. Therefore we should never say, "Why does that person strive for that object, which is not worthwhile?" Our work is to be silent and to help by our kindness, by our sympathy each one towards that attainment that he is aiming at, not judging it from our standard, but looking at it from his point of view.
... Hope is needed in all things, the hope that "If I have not attained my desire now, I shall attain it". We live on hope. In all our affairs hope is the foundation, in our undertakings, in friendship, in love affairs. In the East there is a beautiful saying, "Brahma extracted honey from all flowers and it was hope".
https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/archives/attainment.htm
