Usually, the way the world works is that events in the physical realm are influenced by our spiritual actions. We are all on a mission in this world, and Hashem ensures that we have the opportunity to fulfill it. Most of the time, the reasons behind what happens to us are hidden. There are endless calculations behind every event, and we can never fully comprehend them. However, sometimes Hashem sends us clear messages, guiding us toward what we need to improve. I read of two such stories, told firsthand by the people who experienced them, in a Hashgacha Pratit bulletin. The first was shared by a man we'll call Ralph. One night, about five years ago, Ralph was driving home from the grocery store, feeling good about his financial success. He had a great job, was making good money, and could buy whatever he wanted. As he was putting away the groceries, he noticed a mouse in his house. He told his wife, and they both became nervous. The next day, they set traps, but they didn't work. They tried poison, but that didn't help either. Over time, the mice multiplied, until it felt like they were everywhere. They called an exterminator, but even he couldn't solve the problem. This went on for nearly a month, and they were beside themselves. One day, Ralph bumped into his religious neighbor. They usually didn't converse, but this time, the neighbor asked how he was doing. Ralph shared his frustration about the mice problem. The neighbor suggested that he come speak with his rabbi. Ralph wasn't sure how a rabbi could help with mice, but at that point, he was willing to try anything. When they walked into the shul , the rabbi was just finishing a shiur . Amazingly, he was quoting a Gemara about a Rabbi who had once visited a city plagued by mice. The residents asked him what to do, and he told them the mice were devouring their crops because they weren't properly taking ma'aser . After the shiur , the neighbor introduced Ralph to the rabbi and told him about the mice. The rabbi asked Ralph if he was giving ma'aser from his earnings. Ralph admitted that he didn't feel the need to share his hard-earned money with anyone. The rabbi then gave him a short lesson on the importance of tzedaka and told him that, to start, he should give 20% of his next paycheck. That night, the mice problem was worse than ever. The next day, Ralph made a firm commitment to give 20% of his upcoming paycheck to tzedaka . When he came home that evening, he saw five dead mice lying on his living room floor. The infestation stopped entirely—and never returned. The second story was shared by a man we'll call Shimon. One morning, Shimon woke up and felt that his lips were swollen. When he looked in the mirror, the swelling was even worse than it felt. He went to the doctor, and as soon as the doctor saw him, his eyes widened. He said he had never seen anything like it before. The doctor prescribed a few creams, but when Shimon went to pick them up, the pharmacist told him he highly doubted they would help. Feeling desperate, Shimon called a different doctor and scheduled another appointment. When he came home, he told his wife what had happened. She looked at him and pointed out that his left hand was also swollen. When Shimon looked down, he saw that his hand had become extremely inflamed. His wife hesitated but then carefully shared her thoughts. She said, "Maybe this is connected to something that needs improvement. I'm not sure, but could it be related to how you sometimes engage in mundane conversations while wearing your tefillin ?" It wasn't easy for her to say this, but Shimon urged her to share her thoughts. Shimon accepted her words. Right then and there, he committed to no longer speaking mundane conversations while wearing tefillin . Amazingly, the next morning, when Shimon woke up, there was no trace of swelling—neither on his lips nor on his hand. Hashem's messages are rarely this obvious. We must remember that everything we do matters. Every action has an effect on our lives. Hashem, in His infinite mercy, only wants to help us accomplish our mission so that we can earn an eternity of pleasure in Olam Haba .