One of my teachers once said “when you are in the struggle or challenge, that is not the time to process what lessons you will learn. The lessons can only be seen in hindsight.” So I asked myself, “what then fills the space between the struggle and the landing at the place of hindsight.” The answer was faith. And the only way I could reach that answer was to remind myself that I have been through challenges before, and that each time, life lessons were learned. I had to have faith that I would come out the other side stronger, softer, and more resilient.

In our Amidah prayer, we collectively remind ourselves of this lesson and God’s relationship with our ancestors symbolizes it. We remind ourselves of this so that when we pray for peace and protection and healing, we have faith that those things will come, even in small doses.

From this perspective, faith acts as a vehicle from the past to the present to the future that is unknown. It’s our companion, our guide, our grounding force.

Challenge: Take some time to reflect on past challenges and the lessons that you have learned; the ways in which you grew from them. What gifts did you receive from these challenges/struggles?

Faith it till you make it. In other words, until you reach your landing place (where the lessons become clear), allow faith to accompany you.

I love you!

Rabbi Gabi