We each have blessings in our lives.
At the same time, we often lose sight of our blessings and good fortune because life’s stress consumes so much of our internal radar. That’s why it’s so important to take some time every day to refocus our attention, and recognize the blessings we have. Prayer is one such opportunity.
Imagine that you’re praying: Withdrawing from your ‘regular’ mindset and urges, you turn introspective and take an aerial view of your life. You begin to perceive and appreciate your blessings. Feel blessed and supported, you feel empowered to effectively respond to your challenges.
From that rarefied ‘prayer perch’, your world makes sense; life actually looks pretty good. You are safe. And you can actually see how you grow through your struggles.
So why does our prayer liturgy - thrice daily – also guide us to yearn for Moshiach, for an era without pain, without moral dilemmas and without tests of faith?
If life is good, and rising above our struggles - maintaining soul-consciousness even as we’re engaged in a shallow world - is actually an exercise in character development, why should we be desperate for Moshiach?
G-d is the ultimate good, and G-d is in control of the world. That being the case, we have every reason to hope for – and to anticipate – a world of total connectedness and balance, a world that is pain-free and without tragedy. Feeling Oneness with the Divine and with each other shouldn’t be a struggle; it should be a given.
So while we should be happy with life, we should never be complacent. Our world CAN be better and we need to keep an eye on a better future. As long as there is pain, disunity and lack of higher consciousness in the world, we can’t rest on our laurels.
So every day, our prayers can guide us to appreciate our life, and also guide us to recognize that our world can be so much better, and that we can – and must - actually bring it to that better place.
Starting now.