Everyone really knows himself. So sometimes a person can feel so guilty about who he is and what his actions have been, that he can convince himself that he is really much worse off than he is.
Often the result of this is that you may not believe that all the words of encouragement which the Tzaddikim have taught us really apply to you, too. For example, you might have heard or read how there really is never such a thing as despair, for no matter how low a person might have fallen, Hashem is always with him, by him, and next to him. Hashem is always anticipating his Teshuvah in whatever level he may be.
But even though the Tzaddikim told us outright that they are referring even to the worst of the worst, you might feel as if they don’t really mean someone like yourself. You may think that the Tzaddikim are only trying to make you feel better, and to try to stop you from falling further and becoming even worse. You feel that you know the truth about yourself. You know how lowly and insignificant you really are, and how very far you are from Hashem. You know that you really have lost all hope. But all these types of ideas are just ways through which Yetzer Hara wants to totally throw us off.
Those of us who have merited being included amongst those who hold strong to Rebbe Nachman’s teachings understand that all the teachings of the Tzaddik and all of his words of encouragement are the honest truth.
The Tzaddikim with their great insight have perceived the truth about Hashem. His mercy and kindness really are great and unfathomable. He really is always orchestrating and planning events in order that everyone merits returning to Him and doing Teshuvah.
All those of the words of encouragement and consolation, to awaken us to the fact that Hashem is still with us, in the place where we are right now, were not thought up by the Tzaddikim. These are the words of Hashem Himself, that He Himself has sent the Tzaddikim and their followers to let us know that Hashem is still with us, and will never leave us.
Based on Meshivas Nefesh B 18
Written by Ephraim Portnoy
Copyright (R) 2009 The Breslov Research Institute