There are two aspects of working of a mind.

1. To account for some thing that was done in past. This comes to you in the form of presentation of sufferings, happiness, opportunities, threats etc.
2. To effect a change in the mind so that it thinks in a certain way in future.

To experience sufferings is in itself is a deed. Now, while mind is subjected to sufferings, if mind does not try to think of God, it will think of this world. If mind thinks of this world, it accumulates further dirt and cannot be purified. If mind thinks of God, it has cleaning effect and one advances to wards God. Thus, sufferings itself cannot purify heart unless sufferings are supplemented by remembrance of God. Sufferings can only account for our misdeeds in past.

Our action also brings about a change in our mind. Every action that we perform makes the instinct of the same behavior stronger each time. Thus we are forced to perform the same kind of action in future. Thus our past deeds decide our tendency to act or react.

To be more precise,
1. Presentation of sufferings or happiness is not something over which one has control
2. How to react to situation is in one’s control.

The second factor also has two divisions:
1. Mind’s tendency to react according to past deeds
2. Element of fresh control over tendency of mind. This is the factor, which needs to be stronger to exercise control over mind, otherwise, reverse happens: Mind controls you. Only divine practice or remembrance of God can make this factor stronger and therefore, spiritual progress is not possible without remembrance of God.