Go All In

Transcribed by Devora Shifrin

God created obstacles for us to experience, so that we will seek Him out. When the Almighty’s involvement in our lives is revealed, this is the time to thank Him for the apparent blessings; yet during times of Divine concealment, we must cry out in prayer and trust that just as He was there for us in the past, God will be with us in our current struggle. Although it may seem like we are alone in the darkness, God is ‘holding our hand’, and ultimately testing our free will by providing us with the opportunity to make the right decisions.

How can we seek God out?

With Sacrifice. Our sacrifice need not be a big one, yet it must be a commitment that validates a shift in our mindset. A small demonstration of our desire for spiritual closeness and personal growth. It can be something simple, such as watching one hour less of TV, or keeping an hour of Shabbat. It can be something bigger such as doing hitbodedut (personal prayer) even when it seems like there’s nothing to say, giving charity when it’s a challenge, or learning Torah, even when it is immensely difficult. Through it all, the greatest obstacle that we face is in our minds. It is the conflict between self-doubt and truly believing that God is with us through it all.

We must recognize that we were created with the ability to surpass every limitation that this world has set forth, every negative belief that we perpetuate, and every ounce of self-doubt that we embody. By recognizing that there is Godliness within each one of us and appreciating our unique purpose and rectification in this world, we can begin to see our obstacles as the illusions that they are; merely there to test our awareness of God, the greatness that lies within us, and our commitment to our Faith.

Our beliefs about everything determines our thoughts. The thoughts running through our minds, determine our speech, and our speech eventually determines our actions. Actions create habits, and habits over time become our lives. Let’s make each day count by using every obstacle that we face as a catalyst for spiritual growth and connection to God. Let’s use the knowledge of our unlimited potential and connection to the source of everything, to GO ALL IN!

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Gedale Fenster, a Miami-based entrepreneur and motivational speaker, is the founder and CEO of the People’s Insurance Claim Center and Evolutions Treatment Center. He has also established the Breslov Center, where he teaches. He hosts a series of daily and weekly online lectures at http://www.gedalefenster.com/