So, you tried your honest and sincere best and you still didn’t succeed.

One, of the great fresh thoughts of Chassidus, is that a person doesn’t always require success. Chassidus helps a person see life through a humble lens and the results in life are not always supposed to be the way I need it to be, or how I believe it should be.

A Chasid who studies the teachings of Chassidus, introduced by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov 1698 – 1760, learns to accept everything in life with love, even the adversities. “A Chasid, is never lacking success.”

“It is not upon you to bring everything to its conclusion, and you are not free to desist from putting in an effort to make it work.” G-d judges us, and HE does respond to us, according to our choices and our sincere efforts towards that end.

One of the highest psychological conditions these days is anxiety. And then, too much anxiety leads to stress and medical conditions of the heart and of the mind, not to speak of depression etc. We are so pressured not to be a looser amongst our peers, many will compromise their ethics, morals, religion, family life, and much more. People come home all stressed out and lash out at their spouse, children, and undermine a most important components to a well-rounded, happy, meaningful, fulfilled, life.

One of the contributing factors to exacerbate this condition and phenomenon is the self-help industry. They will tell you, it’s all up to you. If you do this and do that you are guaranteed success. This only guarantees the majority who can’t ever make it to the winning position, despondency, heart break, let down, and anxiety.

They will ask themselves. So, I did everything right. Why didn’t I win the gold medal of my class, or the silver medal of my circle of friends, or even the copper medal amongst my surroundings? They will be back for more self-help motivation since they were told success is the goal within reach of everyone, only to go around the cycle again and again until exhaustion sets in.

Then there are those who didn’t make proper choices and created the undesirable consequences. How does Chassidus view these people at the moment of what appears to be genuine failure.

The previous Chabad Rebbe – Rabbi Yoseph Yitzchak Schneerson 1880-1950 always taught, “There is never “lost” and failure, with no hope.”

Since everything is for the good, now that one realizes his/her mistake and sincerely intends to mend their ways, through the G-dly act of Teshuvah, returning back to the proper way of thinking and behaving, the correct path, through THIS connection with G-d, the person can retroactively accomplish what is otherwise impossible, and draw from the current situation what appears as negative, the blessing and good, implanted in “this too is for the good.”.

Chassidus tunes and trains the individual to hear the music and positive melody in all circumstances, it’s just a matter of putting on the proper colored lens over the eyes of our minds.

Lest anyone think the Bible as taught by the presentation of Chassidus is all about determinism or fatalism and similar philosophical ideas, Rabbi Yoseph Yitzchok reminds us, regarding the philosophy and teachings of Chassidus, the following.

“The goal of Chassidus is, actual, genuine, and concrete, self-work. Whoever thinks, the teachings of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov and his students is only all about intellectual pursuits, is making a grave error. It is a pity on him, on his body and on his soul.”

As the quote earlier instructs us, we can never desist in putting in a genuine effort. Every time we try, and we try again, we are refining, and strengthening ourselves, further and further. Every time one starts all over again in full trust that G-d will come through for them, they are closer and closer to reaching their goal with the help of G-d.

If G-d decides to grant them their effort they are blessed, and if not, they are also blessed.

The fun is, in having taken the journey, and enjoying all the wonderful surprises along the ride.