How Gratitude During Hardship Unlocks Divine Blessing

“Shehakol Nihiyah Bidvaro – Everything Came to Be by His Word” Reb Bunim of Peshischa said: It is written in halacha (Jewish law), “For all [types of food] one may say the blessing ‘Shehakol Nihiyah Bidvaro’ – and he has fulfilled his obligation.” In the simple sense, this means that if one recites the general blessing “Shehakol” even on specific foods like bread, grapes, or cucumbers (which normally require a different blessing), he still fulfills his obligation after the fact.

Reb Bunim provides a deeper interpretation: If a person recites the blessing “Shehakol Nihiyah Bidvaro” with the belief that everything — even frustrating, sad, or exhausting events — comes from God, then he has fulfilled, meaning he can emerge from all his troubles through that power. This faith releases him from distress.

When a person gives thanks for God’s kindnesses — even the difficult ones, he draws mercy and grace upon himself.

The Rebbe of Slonim explains that when a person expresses gratitude, even for things that don’t appear good to him, God says: “If you accept My guidance even when it seems unfavorable to you, then I will turn it into true goodness for you.”

Gratitude even for the negative becomes easier when one internalizes that God owes us nothing and everything He gives is a gift.

It’s not impressive to give thanks when everything is going smoothly. The real greatness is to say thank you when things are difficult — to acknowledge and appreciate what we do have. When we give thanks for the challenges and tests that feel like “bad”, we will merit to see supernatural salvations, and God will transform the perceived bad into revealed good.

We personally went through a very painful ordeal when we were cheated out of a large sum of money by a nonprofit organization. Precisely in those days, when we were working intensely on strengthening our faith and joy despite the hardship, we witnessed miracles. Even when things weren’t easy, we felt God’s presence with us. When we pushed even further in faith, and managed to thank God even for the difficulties and what appeared humanly to be "bad", we saw wonders and clear Divine kindness throughout the process, and felt God’s merciful hand carrying us.

I used to sing, often with tears of longing and closeness to God, the song: “Even in the concealment within the concealment – surely, even there, the blessed Name is present.” Truly, I am not the same person I was before the ordeal.

I attribute this transformation to the fact that even during the most painful days, faith prevailed, and focusing on what we did have, and seeking the good within the “bad,” helped us weather that storm and its mighty waves. It gave us increased action, closeness to God, and depth that only someone who has been through such things can begin to understand.

This doesn’t contradict the fact that a Jew should pray to be released from hardship or ask that God lighten the burden. At the same time, we must utilize the tools that help us move through hardships more swiftly and meaningfully. From what seems so difficult, great salvations will develop.