Dear Rabbi,
I have a lot of challenges in my life. What should I remember to help me cope?
Answer:
Thanks for reaching out to us.
When one is in a challenging situation, every minute feels like eternity. I hope that by now you're in a better situation than when you wrote, or at least it is improving.
The Talmud states that "G‑d does not make unreasonable demands from His creations.”1 Or as our Sages say in the Midrash, “G‑d does not make matters difficult for His creatures; He expects a person to perform according to his capacity.”2
This means that no matter what happens to us, or what challenges come our way, there is no doubt that we are also given the strength to handle them. While we might not immediately or automatically experience this strength, developing this perspective will itself give one strength to deal with challenges.
Now it could be that you have to dig deeper, reach into your potential, work with supportive people around you, pray to G‑d for assistance, or write to us at chabad.org; but there is no doubt that you have the capacity to reach even higher, and be happier and stronger than you were before this challenge. If you spend some time considering the history of your relationship with G‑d, you will probably see that you have done this before.
Please see our selection on The Jewish Take on Struggle, Challenge & Adversity.
Please keep me posted.
Rabbi Zalman Nelson, LMSW,
for The Judaism Website – Chabad.org
Although it is not from G-d, the overcoming Is FOR Him. He put us on this earth knowing we will live as imperfect humans on an imperfect planet, having imperfect experiences, weather, and happenings. In fact, our scriptures say the rain falls on the just and the unjust. They don't say to search for why the rain falls that way. We don't always have bad things happen in order to learn a lesson. However, in the overcoming, there is a growth of character which happens. It has been said that you can only help someone else if you have been through it. So , parents who have lost a child can support others in that situation. Cancer survivors can help others like them. Etc. In this way, our individual existences become connected into a collective family.