Chased Into Greatness!

What if the thing you fear most is a Divine invitation to become the person you were meant to be? What if the crisis you are currently trying to outrun is a divine invitation to step into your destiny? 

In Parshas Beshalach, we find the Jewish people trapped between the churning  Red Sea in front of them and the thundering Egyptian army behind them. The Torah uses a peculiar phrase to describe the moment: "And Pharaoh drew near" (u’Pharaoh hikriv).

Grammatically, the Hebrew word hikriv is causative. It doesn't just mean Pharaoh approached the Jewish People; it means he brought them near to G-d.

Rabbi Berechiah, in the midrash, states that Pharaoh’s pursuit was more effective for the spiritual growth of the Jews than a hundred fasts and prayers.

Think about that. A hundred days of self-deprivation and formal liturgy couldn't accomplish what one terrifying moment of pursuit did. Why? Because comfort is the enemy of growth.

When things are "okay," our prayers, too, might be just "okay." They may feel repetitive and routine. But when the chariots are close enough that you can hear their wheels grinding, our prayers are transformed into a scream from the depths of our souls.

We often know what we should do to improve our lives, but we lack Pharaoh’s army to make us actually do it. Sometimes, the "thing" chasing us is Hashem’s way of ending our procrastination.

If you feel like you are being hunted by debt, health issues, or professional failure (G-d forbid), ask yourself: What is this pressure forcing me to do that I was too comfortable to do yesterday?

In the world of resilience and self-help, there is a concept called Post-Traumatic Growth. This is the capacity to use the energy of our difficulties to open new doors and to propel us mentally and physically toward a higher state of being.

We spend our lives trying to outrun the things we fear. But Parshas Beshalach suggests that without the pursuit, the sea might never have split. The very thing chasing you is often the very thing that will force you to change your destiny.

So, don't just survive the chase. Use the momentum of the pursuit to propel yourself toward the miracle. Make crisis the very thing that ensures you reach your most magnificent destination!