Hope for Errant Husbands

I know a lady who is always complaining about her husband. He doesn't chant his rounds, he wants too much sex, he plays computer games, etc., etc., etc. 

I read a little bit of Bhagavad-gita every night. Recently, as I was reading the twelfth chapter, I felt that Krsna gave me a realization as well as the answer to my friend's problem. 

My realization: My friend is expecting too much of her husband. 

Krsna's suggestion: "If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage." (Bg 12.10) 

And here is Srila Prabhupada's wonderful purport to that most encouraging verse: "One who is not able even to practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, under the guidance of a spiritual master, can still be drawn to this perfectional stage by working for the Supreme Lord. How to do this work has already been explained in the fifty-fifth verse of the Eleventh Chapter. One should be sympathetic to the propagation of Krsna consciousness. There are many devotees who are engaged in the propagation of Krsna consciousness, and they require help. So, even if one cannot directly practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, he can try to help such work. Every endeavor requires land, capital, organization and labor. Just as in business one requires a place to stay, some capital to use, some labor and some organization to expand, so the same is required in the service of Krsna. The only difference is that in materialism one works for sense gratification. The same work, however, can be performed for the satisfaction of Krsna, and that is spiritual activity. If one has sufficient money, he can help in building an office or temple for propagating Krsna consciousness. Or he can help with publications. There are various fields of activity, and one should be interested in such activities. If one cannot sacrifice the results of his activities, the same person can still sacrifice some percentage to propagate Krsna consciousness. This voluntary service to the cause of Krsna consciousness will help one to rise to a higher state of love for God, whereupon one becomes perfect." 

So my friend can take comfort in Krsna's words, understanding that although when her husband first joined ISKCON, he was very enthusiastic and committed to chanting all his rounds, following the principles strictly, etc., now he is behaving differently. So she need not unnecessarily criticize him. She can instead admire her husband and appreciate that he (in her case, the husband is actually supportive of Lord Caitanya's Movement) is working for the cause of Krsna consciousness. She can be confident that Krsna is pleased with him, even if he is not following as strictly as he once used to.