The Talmud records a fascinating dialogue between King David and G-d.
Looking over the first words of the daily “amida” prayer, David asks, “We refer to You as the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchok, and the G-d of Yaakov. Why not the G-d of David?”
David was a humble man. He wasn’t asking, “How did you have the gall to overlook me?” His question was, “What is it about my life that I haven’t merited my name to be joined with Yours?”
G-d says, “You haven’t been sufficiently tested.”
On a basic level, life involves tests and those tests are meant to connect us with the divine. How?
My experience has been that the biggest part of a person’s tests is his attitude. He might be facing objective personal setbacks, but his thinking about the setback will make the greatest difference. Often, he doesn’t know where to find a good attitude, try as he may.
The story of King David reminds me that a person needs to know that life is about discovering that we’re a channel for Divine insights. Change is utterly possible, but a person needs to look for a moment to a different place than his own tool box for eluding, maneuvering, or fixing challenges. The test is like a tap on the shoulder: to understand that for even something so basic as his own thinking, a person is only a partner. With even a slight shift, our name can become synonymous with the divine.
I want to encourage everyone reading this to check out the conference I’m helping organize on Innate Health next Sunday through Tuesday in Manhattan. Innate Health is a simple approach that helps people look in this new direction - with inspiring results. For more info, visit: http://www.jewishcenterforwellbeing.com/nyc-innate-health-conference.html.
Shabbat Shalom,
Henry Harris
Looking over the first words of the daily “amida” prayer, David asks, “We refer to You as the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchok, and the G-d of Yaakov. Why not the G-d of David?”
David was a humble man. He wasn’t asking, “How did you have the gall to overlook me?” His question was, “What is it about my life that I haven’t merited my name to be joined with Yours?”
G-d says, “You haven’t been sufficiently tested.”
On a basic level, life involves tests and those tests are meant to connect us with the divine. How?
My experience has been that the biggest part of a person’s tests is his attitude. He might be facing objective personal setbacks, but his thinking about the setback will make the greatest difference. Often, he doesn’t know where to find a good attitude, try as he may.
The story of King David reminds me that a person needs to know that life is about discovering that we’re a channel for Divine insights. Change is utterly possible, but a person needs to look for a moment to a different place than his own tool box for eluding, maneuvering, or fixing challenges. The test is like a tap on the shoulder: to understand that for even something so basic as his own thinking, a person is only a partner. With even a slight shift, our name can become synonymous with the divine.
I want to encourage everyone reading this to check out the conference I’m helping organize on Innate Health next Sunday through Tuesday in Manhattan. Innate Health is a simple approach that helps people look in this new direction - with inspiring results. For more info, visit: http://www.jewishcenterforwellbeing.com/nyc-innate-health-conference.html.
Shabbat Shalom,
Henry Harris
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