But there was one thing that bothered Reb Boruch Ber immensely. There was a big cross in the home across the street from his. Every time he left or returned to his house, he had to be careful not to look at it, and this situation upset him immensely.
One day, he read a story which changed his perspective. He read that Reb Noson Adler zt'l was once traveling together with the Chasam Sofer zt'l, and one night, one of the horses died. The wagon driver looked for another horse but couldn’t find one, so he attached a donkey to the wagon. In the morning, when they were ready to travel on, Reb Noson Adler noticed a donkey and a horse tied to the wagon, and he immediately jumped off the wagon and began to dance.
The Chasam Sofer asked him why he was so happy and dancing on that cold day. Reb Noson Adler told him that this was the first time in his life he could perform the mitzvah of יחדו וחמור בשור תחרוש לא, that one shouldn't work with two species together.
Reb Boruch Ber explained that he realized from this story that he should be delighted with the location of his home because every time he is outside his house, he can perform the mitzvah of לבבכם אחרי תתורו לא, which Chazal explain that it is forbidden to stray after avodah zarah. "So every time I have that avodah zarah before me, I should be extremely happy, because I can keep this mitzvah!"
The lesson is that tests aren't problems. They are opportunities to perform mitzvos and serve Hashem.
