The third difference: While a person who relies on G‑d also involves himself in various means of obtaining his livelihood and other needs, he doesn’t rely on them, nor does he expect them to either benefit him or cause him harm unless G‑d wills it to be.

וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי, כִּי הַבּוֹטֵחַ בֵּאלֹהִים, וְאִם יִתְעַסֵּק בַּסִּבּוֹת, לֹא יִסְמוֹךְ בְּלִבּוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן, וְלֹא יְקַוֶּה מֵהֶן תּוֹעֶלֶת וְלֹא נֶזֶק מִבִּלְתִּי רְצוֹן הָאֵל,

The only reason he involves himself in them is his choice to carry out the service of the Creator, Who instructed him to involve himself in the world, to settle it and correct it.

אַךְ מִתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶן לִבְחוֹר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה לְהִתְעַסֵּק בָּעוֹלָם לְיַשְּׁבוֹ וּלְזַיְּנוֹ.

If he benefits from the means that he is engaged in or they protect him from harm, then he will thank G‑d alone for it; he will not increase his love and affection for them, nor will his mind be more at rest because of them. Rather, he will strengthen his trust in G‑d and rely on Him alone, and not at all on the means.

וְאִם תַּגִּיעֵהוּ תּוֹעֶלֶת אוֹ יִדָּחֶה בָּהֶן הַנֶּזֶק, יוֹדֶה הָאֱלֹהִים לְבַדּוֹ עַל זֶה, וְלֹא יוֹסִיף בָּהֶן אַהֲבָה וְחִבָּה יְתֵרָה, וְלֹא תָנוּחַ נַפְשׁוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן יוֹתֵר, אַךְ יֶחֱזַק בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים, וְיִסְמוֹךְ לִבּוֹ עָלָיו מִבַּלְעֲדֵי הַסִּבּוֹת.

If the means that he engaged in does not help him, then he will understand that his livelihood will reach him when G‑d wills it to come, and in whichever manner He decides. Consequently, he will not reject engaging in them, nor will he cease involving himself in them, because his ultimate goal is the service of his Creator.

וְאִם לֹא יוֹעִילוּהוּ הַסִּבּוֹת, יֵדַע כִּי יְבוֹאֵהוּ טַרְפּוֹ כְּשֶׁיִּרְצֶה ה' מֵאֵיזֶה עִנְיָן שֶׁיִּרְצֶה, וְלֹא יִמְאַס בָּהֶן בַּעֲבוּר זֶה, וְלֹא יַנִּיחַ לְהִתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא.

However, a person who does not rely on G‑d involves himself in the means of pursuing his livelihood because he relies on them for help and protection from harm. If they do indeed help him, then he will praise them and his own efforts that he put into them. In such an instance, he will choose to continue engaging in those means, and he will not turn to other means of pursuing his livelihood.

וַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ בּוֹטֵחַ בֵּאלֹהִים מִתְעַסֵּק בַּסִּבּוֹת לְבִטְחוֹנוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁהֵן מוֹעִילוֹת אוֹתוֹ וְדוֹחוֹת הַנֶּזֶק מֵעָלָיו. וְאִם הֵן מוֹעִילוֹת אוֹתוֹ, יְשַׁבַּח אוֹתָן וִישַׁבַּח הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתוֹ בָּהֶן, וְיִבְחַר אוֹתָן וְלֹא יִפְנֶה אֶל זוּלָתָן.

If, however, they do not help him, then he will abandon them, reject them, and turn his desire away from them. As the verse states (Chabakuk 1:16): Therefore, he sacrifices to his net, and he burns incense to his trawl.

וְאִם אֵינָן מוֹעִילוֹת לוֹ, יַנִּיחַ אוֹתָן וְיִמְאָסֵן וְיָשׁוּב חֶפְצוֹ מֵהֶן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (חבקוק א, טז) "עַל כֵּן יְזַבֵּחַ לְחֶרְמוֹ וִיקַטֵּר לְמִכְמַרְתּוֹ."

This verse speaks about the wicked person, who upon seeing that he is successful while serving idols, and perceiving them as the reason for his success, offers sacrifices to them. This implies that when things don’t go well for him, he abandons them. This is cited to show that the person who doesn’t trust in G‑d only engages in the means of pursuing a livelihood when it works out for him.

Reject them. According to Pat Lechem, this means that not only will the person cease engaging in those means himself, but he will also cause others to reject them and to be dissuaded from engaging in them.