Few things provoke anxiety and depression as powerfully as the feeling of being unjustly wronged.

Sometimes, it’s easy to see how a certain pain is necessary and even beneficial. Other times, it is not. When there is no apparent benefit, one turns to faith, and one can either believe the suffering makes no sense, or believe that it does.

But what can a person base that belief on, beyond simply wanting to believe it?

One way is to think about the origin of the suffering. If another person decided to harm me of their own accord, it would not necessarily be for my benefit. But since nothing happens by chance, and it is G‑d, the source of all good, who decided I must experience this suffering, it is undoubtedly for my benefit, even if I don't understand how.

This leads to one of the most fundamental questions: How are the principles of free will and Divine Providence reconciled? Who has the final say in what happens in the world — G‑d or us? If G‑d determines everything, are we absolved of responsibility for our actions? And we are responsible for our choices, does G‑d not truly control what happens in His world?

A possible answer can be found in this week's reading, Lech Lecha. In the description of the Brit Bein HaBetarim, the Covenant of Parts, G‑d tells our patriarch Abraham that his descendants will endure 400 years of servitude, after which G‑d will punish the perpetrators, and the descendants will leave with great wealth.1

A glaring question arises: How can G‑d punish those who carried out His own decree? If G‑d ordained that the Jewish people would be enslaved, why punish those who executed that decree?

A possible answer: G‑d decreed that the Jewish people would undergo a period of slavery, but He did not decree which individuals would carry it out. Each Egyptian made a personal choice to raise their hand and deliver the lash, and for that choice, they were held accountable.

In other words: had G‑d not decreed that I must lose something, no one would have been in a position to steal from me. But the act of stealing was entirely that person's own decision.

The tool for this week: When something unpleasant happens, instead of being angry at the messenger, remember the true source. The message is undoubtedly for your benefit. Ask yourself: how can I turn this new reality to good?

For more on this topic see: Free Will In Judaism