Embracing Divine Love: A New Perspective on Life’s Struggles and G-d’s Justice

While it can sometimes be diffcult to feel it, all of G-d's actions in the world stem from love. Even if they appear harsh or cruel, it is like a doctor who must use a scalpel to cut the flesh of a patient in order to heal him.

A proper perspective and understanding of this can transform a person’s mental state. If a terrorist approaches you with a knife, you would view him as a hateful, bloodthirsty criminal. If however a surgeon comes toward you with a scalpel, he is a lifesaver and someone you would later thank.

In prayer, we say: “Heal us, G-d, and we shall be healed… for You are a faithful and compassionate Healer.” It is not easy to find a doctor who is both compassionate and trustworthy and it is rare to find a physician who performs his work with kindness and integrity, without seeking honor or profit. With G-d however, that is exactly what we find, in absolute perfection.

If we are not clear that we are dealing with a Creator who truly loves us, we lose all hope. For what hope can we have if we perceive His conduct toward us as that of an enemy, Heaven forbid?

We must constantly reinforce the truth of our faith, that there is no power besides G-d in the governance of the world. Everything that happens is under His providence, with justice and righteousness, and all events occur in accordance with each person’s actions, as it says (Jeremiah 32:19): “Great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of mankind, to reward each person according to his conduct and the fruit of his deeds.”

We are also constantly taught that everything G-d does with a person is for their ultimate good. However, even with this knowledge, a person may rebel out of the pain of the struggle. Precisely because he believes that everything comes from G-d, when he suffers, he may direct his anger toward the Creator, thinking: “All my suffering is from Him…”

In contrast, someone who lacks faith may blame natural causes or people who harmed him. But the believer, ironically, may end up angrier at G-d than the non-believer is at others. How is this possible?

The believer is still missing a vital piece of understanding. He must know with certainty that he is dealing with a loving and faithful G-d, who never ceases to love and be loyal to him. Even when G-d deals with him through the attribute of judgment, His love for that person remains untouched.

Unlike humans, when punishing or fighting with others, inevitably damage the love between them, G-d’s love is never diminished, even when He acts in strict judgment. Even in moments that appear to convey abandonment, neglect, or divine concealment, the truth is the opposite, as we will explore in a future article.