Let The Anxiety Go

Everyone is looking for that secret potion. We all want to know the trick to handle life’s challenges. Often when we face difficult circumstances, feelings of anxiety and despair begin to kick in. At times we just don’t know what our next step is and feel hopeless as to where or whom to turn to.

The Dubno Maggid relates a story about a poor man who was traveling and was schlepping a big heavy bag with all his possessions. He was walking a far distance because he had no means of transportation. Suddenly, a wealthy individual traveling in a horse drawn wagon came up the road. Upon noticing the fellow walking with his heavy load, he offered the destitute man a ride. After stepping onto the wagon and sitting down, the carriage owner saw that he was still holding onto the heavy bag. He turned and remarked, “What are you doing? Why don’t you put the bag down on the floor?” The man responded, “No, I can hold it, you’re already doing me a tremendous favor by taking me onto the carriage, it just wouldn’t be fair to make you also carry my bag for me.” “What are you talking about?” the owner responded. “Don’t you realize the animal that is carrying this wagon and is holding everything inside? The wagon is carrying you and your bag anyways, holding the bag is just creating unnecessary work.”

The Dubno Magid says that when we face challenges in life and sometimes very difficult ones, we often feel that we are carrying a very heavy load, and that burden takes a toll on us just like that bag did on the passenger in the story. However, we must realize that our challenging bag is being carried by the wisest, strongest, most loving being in the world, the Ribbono Shel Olam. We may as well put our load down because Hashem is carrying it anyways. The Dubno Maggid points out that perhaps this is the meaning of the pasuk “Hashlech al Hashem yehavcha vhu yechalkelecha,” cast your burdens upon Hashem and Hashem will sustain you.” We just need to realize that while we are facing challenges, Hashem is holding them for us the whole time. Health, shidduchim, parnassah, shalom bayit, and of course the current war in Israel, HaKadosh Baruch Hu is right here holding onto that weight for us. Hashem is directly involved with all the intricate details at every single moment. Just like that fellow who could take his load and drop it onto the carriage, we too could take “our load” and “drop” it onto Hashem. Of course, our challenges are difficult and can be hard to handle, but it should give us tremendous chizuk knowing that our loving Father in Heaven is really the one that is calling the shots and carrying us through. Let’s stop right now, take a deep breath, and let the anxiety go as we recognize that we are not really the ones handling it all but rather Hashem is the One that’s got this for us!

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Rabbi Yaakov Moskowitz is a motivational speaker who has inspired Jews around the world through his engaging lectures and videos on a wide array of practical Jewish topics. To receive Rabbi Moskowitz’s short clips, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..