Life is complicated. Life is also difficult. That’s normal life: complicated and difficult. But, it never ceases to amaze me that so many people-due to poor decision making and short sightedness-make life more complicated and difficult for themselves and others than it really needs to be!
In Yiddish we have a word for this: tsuris, which means troubles, worries, aggravation, woes, suffering or grief, often with the added understanding of self-affliction: “I ate an entire container of ice cream, and now I have tsuris.” No one made you eat it, so you have no one to blame but yourself, but you’d like to blame someone anyway.
Suffering because of the brokenness of the world is an important theme in the Scriptures. The world is broken due to sin, and sin’s effect is amplified by the sinful choices of people, making the world more complicated and difficult for everyone. Messiah Yeshua sought to both comfort and prepare his talmidim in John 16:33 for their ministry roles as his emmisaries by saying:
“I
have said these things to you so that, united with me, you may have shalom.
In the world, you have tsuris. But be brave! I have conquered the
world!”
This is the Complete Jewish Bible translation, which is why the word tsuris is used, but I also like that it says “united with me.” If we choose to intentionally live united with Messiah Yeshua, seeking first His Kingdom and living our lives based on His instruction, we will find Messiah’s strength and peace to help us through the complicated difficulties of life: war, crime, financial stress, broken relationships, sickness, spiritual opposition, etc. We are still sure to encounter difficulties and complications in our lives, but I believe we will also experience less tsuris.
Are you living united with Messiah Yeshua? Are you regularly submitting your plans and desires in prayer for G-d to lead and direct you? Messiah has conquered the world! Live your life in close proximity to him!
Forward for Messiah,
Kirk Gliebe
Rabbi & Director