Trust. Judaism has a lot to say on the topic. To summarize– individual and communal trust in God is the key to a happy life. But what does that actually mean? What does it mean to trust in God? Here are a few possibilities:
1) Believing that God has a plan. A plan for you. A plan for me. A plan for humanity.
2) Believing that God has given us the capacity to deal with life.
3) Believing in the fundamental goodness of human beings and the continual (albeit sometimes undetectable) progress of humanity toward a greater good.
4) Believing in God rather than believing in false gods, idols, or, in some cases our fellow man.
What else might it mean to trust in God? And what does it feel like to trust in God? When I think about the times in my life that I’ve felt a sense of trust in God they don’t fit into any particular category. Sometimes they’re moments of great change and vulnerability, but sometimes they’re simple moments, mundane moments. For me they are characterized by a sense of calm and comfort. A feeling of being a part of something greater than myself. Pretty cliche stuff, but the stuff of my experience nonetheless.