Passing the Tests of Life

Each and every one of us has a certain number of tests that we must pass over the course of our lifetime. This means that whenever we reach the point of accomplishing whatever we need to accomplish at a specific level, then we move on to the next level and the next test, each time gaining access to a higher level of our soul.

The hard fact, though, is that the tests that we sometimes need to undergo can be very difficult. Sometimes they may even appear to us to be insurmountable “curses.” What we learn in Kabbalah, however, is that every hardship is there to somehow bring us to another level of consciousness.

For example, let’s say that a busy person gets ill and is ordered to relax. As a result of finally slowing down in life, this person now finds himself with the time to contemplate his ways: what he has and has not done, how he has or has not contributed to the world. Now, after years and years on one track, this person gains a true determination to become more than he is, to become more aware of what is around him, and to share more with his family, friends, and community.

So in the end, was his illness a curse? The answer in this case is no. For this person, the illness was a knock on his door that said: “Wake up! You’ve lost a connection to your purpose for being here, and you need to reevaluate your way.”

Today, think of two events in your life that you felt were “curses.” Can you see now how the experience taught you something, changed you for the better, or made you stronger?