Everything Happens For THE Reason
I get into a car accident. My car is totaled, my day is ruined, my insurance premium is going up. I am upset at myself, I'm angry at the world, and I'm not on speaking terms with G_d for a while.
Then they line up, the friends who want to cheers me up, the spiritual leaders who know better: You know what my friend... No need to be upset... No need to be depressed... Everything happens for A reason!!!
The first thought that crosses my mind is Where is your compassion? Where is your sympathy? Do you think I need to hear that I'm suffering for a reason? I'M SUFFERING!
The second thought that jumps up my brain is: Oh, yeah. Obviously everything happens for a reason. The reason I got into a car accident is so that my car should be wrecked. The reason my day is ruined is so I don't accomplish any of the things that I need to do today. The reason my insurance is going up is so I can have less money to buy food for my kids. HOW DOES THAT HELP ME???
Knowing that there is A reason for everything that happens doesn't take a genius to figure out, certainly there was no need for the Baal Shem Tov to come along and enlighten us that every event has a consequence.
Whoever has faith in individual Divine Providence knows that "Man's steps are established by G-d," that this particular soul must purify and improve something specific in a particular place. For centuries, or even since the world's creation, that which needs purification or improvement waits for this soul to come and purify or improve it. The soul too, has been waiting - ever since it came into being - for its time to descend, so that it can discharge the tasks of purification and improvement assigned to it. Hayom Yom - 3 ElulNow we are talking business. Everything happens for THE reason, not just A reason. And THE reason is G_D's master plan for his universe.
G_d created the physical world so that humans can transform it and elevate it to a spiritual state. We have the power to experience people, places and things in a G_dly way, thus changing their composition from merely physical to a new spiritual dimension. The only reason weird things happen to us, is because we are challenged to elevate that situation from the annoying (to humans) to the pleasurable (to G_d).
In other words "Everything happens for a reason" are not words of consolation, but a call to action. If I got into a car accident it is because there is something that I can do in that situation that can make a difference in G_d's master plan for his universe. It's up to me to figure it out. It's up to me to make it worth it.
If only the premium was affordable...
5 shares:
This time of year always leaves me feeling melancholy and reflective; this year i feel utterly confused. I do not know which path to take in my life so I must choose one and see what happens. I dont like these sorts of risks but because of my faith today i am able to go there. Sometimes i wish THE PLAN came with footnotes or something. But then i guess we would not need faith. Circles, its always circles; it makes my brain hurt.
I am told by my rabbis, "The mitzvahs were not given for our benefit." So we keep them and do them for the sake of the King and how does he repay us? By giving His chosen people the opportunity to be burnt at the stake, to be spit upon, to be mistreated at every turn.
So often it does not make sense. How long do we have to suffer before we can begin to see the light. How long before we understand?
You must do and then you will understand - before a child understands it has a stomach, it wants to eat.
My relationship with my Higher Power is unique, as everyone's is. As I learn mitzvahs and work my steps, I often wonder why it makes sense to do any of them. Is it not easier to go along with society rather than singling yourself out? Isn't it easier to continue on the path that you have practiced so often?
G-d is often so revealed, so hidden in this world. It sometimes feels that G-d refuses to reveal Himself to his people who work so hard, haranguing their souls. Let us see your fire! Let us see that which you have promised our forefathers millenia ago! Time may be fleeting for you, but we suffer in this lowly reality every moment!
But G-d as I understand Him does love me, care about me and the choices I make. He is in control and I must trust him with my life and remember that this too is for good (gam zeh l'tova).
If I falter, I am stil good. I can never mess up so bad that I wrest control from his hands. I cannot leave his love, his control, for it is all that there is and only for good. To say that I can truly mess up means that I am greater than my Higher Power. To say that I am beyond teshuvah, beyond returning, is to say that He has created something that has no purpose.
Ani l'dodi v'dodi li - I am to my beloved as my beloved is to me. An acronym for the month of Elul, it describes a time when G-d is accessible to everyone, from the person 50 years working the steps, doing their mitzvahs, to the person just starting out, knowing only that they need help from somthing beyond them. They only need to call to him.
This is wonderful, simply wonderful. To know that our Higher Power is ready and waiting to listen to us, to answer our prayers. All we have to do is ask...
Sara, if u dont know what path to take, maybe you should wait until u find out... what is the rush? Obviously I believe that either way G-d's will will prevail, still i think that time is also a good decision maker... my 2 cents.
Eliezer,
Welcome to the blog, great stuff. This is what I love about Judaism. On one hand we can complain to G-d and ask to see the light, and in the same breath we can proclaim our faith and accept G-d's plan for our lives...
Eleizer, i am moved by your words. thank you. faith is my drive today, without it i do not believe i would have purpose; it is truly a miracle that i seek Hashem's will today and of course at times i am extreme; for a person who denounced Him for so long to be painfully seeking is truly a miracle; but it is still a character defect that i believe i can do that perfectly - lol. i am working on it. I did a fifth step last night and what i found out is that i do not love myself as Hashem loves me, and that is what i need to be working on.
the Big Book says I am the child, he is the father, i am the student, he is the teacher...
i feel i am not explaining this right. However, people pleasing has made me do crazy things and it is because i am not allowing Hashem into those areas of my life, those relationships and i did not even realize it.
Thank Goodness for the steps. I feel ready for the new year now; this year I will continue to work on not playing Hashem in my life and lightening up on myself; it is progress not perfection. I am still uncomfortable with that sometimes. Thank you all for your input. L'Shana Tova...i hope i said that right...May Hashem bless and keep you for a new year.
My Book (the High Holidays Machzor) says:
We are Your people and You are our G_d
We are Your children and You are our Father
We are Your servants and You are our Master
We are Your congregation, and You are our portion...
...We are Your flock, and You are our shepherd
...We are Your beloved ones, and You are our beloved
...We are Your treasure, and You are our G_d
...We are full of iniquity but You are full of compassion
There are two traditional melodies that are used for these words, one is a slow yearning tune of repentance, the other is a joyous song of exuberance.
This special relationship that we have with G-d can induce a feeling of wanting to be more connected and a yearning to be doing G-d's will. It can also reinforce within us the joy of being privileged to such a loving relationship.
Here is a link to the first tune:(ignore the Yiddish introduction)
Ki Anu Amecha
Here is the joyous tune:
Ki Anu Amecha
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