Why is it so hard to find G-d?
I have never liked reality TV and only occasionally watch shows that involve real talent, such as American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. I know that reality shows are heavily edited to attract the most viewers so that advertisers will pay top dollars for time on the networks. As I watch the US coverage of the Presidential campaign, I cannot help but agree that it is great ‘reality TV’.
However, I am also struck by the confusing mass of messages and how difficult it must be for US citizens to choose who will govern their country. In all of this, we might wonder: “What does G-d think of all this? How can we find G-d in a crazy world?”
I cannot answer that question for you, but I can tell you what I understand and what I’ve learned from my Judaic studies.
G-d created the world and all that is in it. G-d wanted to have a relationship with His creation. He granted people free-will so that they could choose to have a relationship with G-d and the type of relationship they would have. Because G-d is infinite, He knows all the choices that we will make and the positive or negative consequences of those decisions. At some level, we know the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil, and between light and dark. The last one is easier to comprehend because it is something physical that we can see with our eyes or imagine in our minds.
G-d has only one plan: that we choose the light. In order for us to make a choice we must have something from which to choose. In order for there to be light, right and good, there must be dark, wrong and evil. From the Jewish perspective, the way to find what is light, right and good according to G-d involves studying the Torah, learning about the mitzvahs (positive and negative commandments), and observing those commandments.
Why is this so difficult to do?
Did you ever play hide-and-seek with your friends and get bored or frustrated because someone hid too well. Did you ever stop playing in the middle of the game and not tell anyone? I did. Sometimes, I actually quit playing when I was ‘It’, the person who had to do the seeking. The people I was supposed to find didn’t know I’d stopped playing so they kept hiding. They were still there; I was the one who opted-out.
In our world, G-d is always there; it is us who decides to opt-out. But, when we opt back in again, G-d is there. When we see and hear things that we know are wrong, evil and dark, we move away from them. With respect to the US Election, I see a confusing mess of contradictions. Just when I think I can see the light, darkness is revealed; just when I think all is dark, a light shines through.
We find G-d in the right, the good and the light. But even in the dark, G-d is always here. No matter who wins in the coming weeks, no matter the aftermath, G-d is always here and we will have the opportunity to choose the light and continue building our relationship with Him through the things we say the deeds we do.
Fiona Prince, MA is a coach, facilitator and teacher who seeks to provide people with the fundamental communication and writing skills they need to succeed in their academic and professional lives. She worships at the Chabad Family Shul and teaches people the mechanics of how to read Hebrew. You can learn with her at www.morahfaiga.com or sign-up for weekly communication tips at www.princeheron.com
You can read more articles on our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, HERE
