Understanding Divine Love: Why You Can Always Trust in G-d

Every time I’ve spoken about the topic of bitachon — trust in G-d — I’ve been asked similar questions: “Maybe I don’t deserve it?” “Who promised me that everything will be okay?” “I’ve committed many sins — maybe G-d wants to punish me?”

The answer to all of these questions can be found by observing the youngest, sweetest child in the family — the one who hasn’t yet done anything “useful” in life. They haven’t learned Torah, they don’t provide income, they haven’t created anything of value, and yet, we give to them with all our heart, in abundance, with no expectation of return. This little child doesn’t hesitate to ask for candy, trips, or treats, and never thinks to himself, “Maybe I don’t deserve it”. A child knows: “Mom and Dad love me so much that even if I don’t deserve it, they’ll give to me anyway.”

I learned this lesson from my own young daughter. Nearly every day she comes to me with a sweet smile and asks, “Abba, can I have a piece of gum?” or “Can I have money to buy candy at the store?” It never crosses her mind that maybe she’s not deserving. She knows how much her father loves her, and she trusts in that love and that because of it, I’ll give her what she asks for. In fact, I actually want to give her more than what she asked for because I want her to feel good, and I want to see that joyful smile on her face when she eats the candy. Why? Simply because I love her.

G-d already told us in His Torah: “You are children to the Lord your G-d” (Devarim 14:1), and “I have loved you,” says Hashem (Malachi 1:2).

To truly reach the level of bitachon, a person must repeat and internalize every day: “G-d loves me.” Repeat it until the meaning settles deep in your heart.

To grasp the vastness of G-d's love for a Jew, there is a parable I heard in the name of a Chassidic Rebbe:

All the loves in this world — a mother for her children, a father for his sons, a wife for her husband and vice versa — if we could gather and measure them all together, they would still not reach the magnitude of G-d's love for even a single Jew. This is because every Jew is literally a part of G-d above (chelek Eloka mi-ma’al).

When G-d created humanity, the Torah says: “And He breathed into his nostrils a living soul” (Bereishit 2:7). The Zohar explains: “One who blows, blows from within himself.” Just like when a person inflates a balloon, the breath comes from deep inside him, so too, when G-d created man, He breathed into him a part of Himself.

Imagine how much love a mother has for her child, because she carried him, gave birth to him, and raised him through his early years. G-d, in comparison, not only created us from nothing, but sustains us at every moment, breathes life into us constantly, and placed a spark of Himself inside us. All of our bodily systems function by His command, and He provides our livelihood and all our daily needs.

In that case, His love must be immeasurably greater than anything we could imagine.