Faith in God equals joy in life

One of the basic foundations of living as an “honorable and virtuous” person (the happiest and most fulfilled way to live) is delineated to us by the prophet Chabakuk: “A righteous man lives (is vivified) by his faith.”

Another more profound experience and the actual manifestation of faith is trust in God.

The difference between faith and trust is quite significant. While I may have faith, I prepare perhaps for the possibility “it” might not happen. Having complete trust means I know this is precisely what will happen. Trusting in God implies that I firmly believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that everything is in good hands and that all will be for good.

Faith believes it is possible, but trust has no doubts. The extent to which a man’s material affairs are bound to and fused with His Creator is measured by his trust in God. If this synthesis and fusion are complete, nothing can be lacking because, in the worlds above, the concept of lacking is utterly nonexistent.

Our sages tell us, “It was in the merit of our faith that our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt.” Faith has the remarkable strength and power to liberate a person from internal slavery, from the bad inner master who sometimes controls and steers us in the wrong direction.

The Talmud says, “A person who meditates and prolongs his concentration on the oneness and unity of God, how the divine providence is over all creatures and all matters in the universe, he will have a long and productive life.”

Once, a Rebbe was approached and challenged when he was still a child — “I’ll give you a gold coin if you can tell me where God is found.” Without hesitation, the child answered, “I’ll give you two if you can tell me where He is not found.”

When a person realizes that the world could not create itself and that everything we see came from God — who was always there since God has no beginning and no end and is infinite in power and in time and space — then the person realizes that everywhere we turn, God is there.

Matter itself is a manifestation of God, for “there is no place void of Him.” This reflection will lead a person to realize that there is always an eye that sees, ears that hear, and all his deeds are recorded. Nothing goes unnoticed, and everything that occurs is under God’s watchful eye.

Students once asked their teacher, “Where is God?” The teacher answered, “Wherever you let him in.” Although the students knew well that God is everywhere because nothing can exist without Him, they replied, “But Rabbi, we do not see him.” To that, they received the answer, “That is because you must first let him into your minds and hearts for you to feel and see Him.”

A person who knows they never walk alone is constantly prompted to do the right thing and stay far from doing something that could distance him from God. This person not only has faith but trusts that God, who put him here in this world, never makes mistakes, and everything has an intelligent reason for being precisely perfect, just as it is.

When someone is cognizant, they are in the presence of a kind and merciful God, always present and in control of All circumstances; life takes on a new dimension of confidence and gives a person every reason to celebrate every moment.

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Chapter 47 www.aspiritualsoulbook.com