After the Mountain Was “Removed” …

Wang Zhi

“The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains” is a well-known ancient Chinese fable about an old man who was determined to dig away the two mountains in front of his house despite the impossibility of the task. Today, I’d like to tell a modern version of the story.

There was once a young man who lived in an isolated mountain village. A great mountain lay right in front of his house, making his travel very inconvenient. Whenever he went out, he had to take a path around it. Afterward, he got married and had three sons. As time went by, the young man turned old and frail, while his sons all grew up to be successful. The first son became a builder, the second one worked in business, and the third one was in charge of a logistics team. The only constant was the mountain in front of the house. Every time the old man traveled, he hobbled all the way circumventing the mountain. … One day, an idea suddenly occurred to the old man, so he called his three sons, saying that he wanted to have the mountain removed. Hearing that, his sons all advised him to give up the idea and live with them in the city. But the old man said, “I won’t go to the city, for I’ve already been used to the life in the village. The air is fresh, and there is no noise. The only problem is the mountain that stands in the way.” After discussion, the three sons decided to fulfill their father’s wish since they were capable of that. Then, the first son dispatched front-end loaders and excavators to the site, the second one paid the money, and the third one mobilized his logistics team. Having got everything prepared, they broke ground on the project. Instantly, the machines rumbled and kicked dust into the air. After a few months of operation, a 10-plus-meter-wide road was cut through the mountain and paved with asphalt. Besides, a pavilion was built in the yard, and the house looked literally like a villa. The old man was overwhelmed with joy as he saw the sight before him.

One day, high winds ripped through the newly built road to the house of the old man, sand smashing against the glass with noises. Immediately, the pavilion in the yard was blown askew, and the tiles were torn off the roof of the house. … After the wind passed, the onetime villa was left in ruins. The old man cried out in confusion, “Heavens! What did I do wrong? Why did this befall me? I’d never come across anything like this before. What’s going on?”

Why did this happen to the old man? God has given us the answer in His words. He says: “So what use is the mountain here? Is it somewhat like a filter for the wind? (Yes.) The mountain takes the fierce wind and cuts it down into what? (A slight breeze.) Into a slight breeze. Most people could touch and feel it in the environment where they lived—was it a fierce wind or a slight breeze that they felt? (A slight breeze.) Isn’t this one of the purposes behind God’s creation of mountains? Isn’t this His intent? What would it be like for people to live in an environment where the fierce wind blew around bits of sand without anything to block or filter it? Could it be that with sand and stones blowing around, people wouldn’t be able to live on the land? Some people might get hit in the head by the stones flying about, or others might get sand in their eyes and wouldn’t be able to see. People could get sucked up into the air or the wind could blow so hard they couldn’t stand up. Houses would be destroyed and all sorts of disasters would happen.” “such as mountains, mountain ranges, plains, hills, basins, valleys, plateaus, and rivers. God applies these different geographical environments to change an airflow’s speed, direction and force, using such a method to reduce or manipulate it into an appropriate wind speed, wind direction, and wind force, so that humans can have a normal living environment. Doing something like this seems difficult for humans, but it is easy for God because He observes all things. For Him to create an environment with a suitable airflow for mankind is too simple, too easy. Therefore, in such an environment created by God, each and every thing among all things is indispensable. There is value and necessity in all of their existence. However, Satan and corrupted mankind do not have such a philosophy. They keep destroying and developing, vainly dreaming of turning mountains into flat land, filling up canyons, and building skyscrapers on flat land to create concrete jungles. It is God’s hope that mankind can live happily, grow happily, and spend each day happily in the most suitable environment He prepared for them. That is why God has never been careless when it comes to dealing with mankind’s living environment.” “Why has man found himself in his current environmental predicament? Is it because of man’s greed and destruction? If man ends this destruction, won’t the living environment gradually right itself? If God does nothing, if God no longer wishes to do anything for mankind—that is to say, He doesn’t want to intervene—the best method would be for mankind to stop this destruction and return things to how they were. Putting an end to all this destruction means to stop the plundering and devastation of the things God has created. This will allow the environment where man lives to gradually improve. Failure to do so will result in further destruction of the environment and it will only become more serious.”

After reading God’s words, have you known who was to blame for the old man’s tragedy? What did he do wrong? Yes, he shouldn’t have “removed” the mountain that had protected him. Actually, God created all things and set boundaries and laws for them—all of this God has done is for us human beings to live happily. There is value in the existence of each and every thing among all things. For example, the mountain can block the wind and change its speed, so that the fierce wind is reduced to a mild breeze which can please people. Nonetheless, when we are blinded by greed and act contrary to God, for the sake of our own self-interests, trying to change the laws established by God for all things and wantonly damaging the homeland we rely on for our survival, can we still enjoy the pleasant breeze? When we believe we have led a cozy and comfortable life by changing the environment where we live, have we ever wondered the dire consequences of such willful destruction of the living environment God prepared for us? Considering the benefits the old man enjoyed from the mountain’s “removal,” we might approve of him; however, faced with the unexpected result of his house being destroyed by the strong wind carrying sand, we couldn’t help but heave a sigh: The old man, you are truly foolish!

The story is well worthy for us to deliberate. In real life, how can we save the land our lives depend on—the earth, where there has already been widespread devastation? The only answer is that we should stop the destruction, return things to how they were, gain knowledge of the Creator’s sovereignty and return to His side. …

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Have You Found the Secret of Teaching? II

Have You Found the Secret of Teaching? II

Afterward, a student who came from other place transferred to our school. He was so mischievous that other teachers were not willing to take him. Finally, the principal put him in my class. However, in class, he left classroom whenever he wanted to; after class, he often made troubles and fought with low-grade students. As a result, some students, teachers and even some parents of other students came to me to make complaints about him. When I tried to talk with him about these things, he was not convinced at all. At that time, I was at the end of my patience. Again, I intended to punish him, but I remembered the hymn of God’s words “The Practical God Saves Men in Obscurity” I used to croon. I realized that: God is the Creator and He is so supreme. Although we have disobeyed and opposed Him for many times, He still uses His word to remind, exhort, support and provide us, waiting for us to turn to Him. I am just a small creature, why can’t I treat students with love and patience? Thereupon, I forsook myself and went on helping him with love. However, not a little did he restrain himself, instead, he was even more in opposition to me, which made me lose my patience completely. I thought: Before you came, my class was a good one. It is your coming that makes a terrible mess of this class. You have ruined our reputation. I, the head-teacher of the class, will have no face to meet anyone if I let your insolence go! Hence, I planned to punish him by copying homework for a whole day without going home for meals. When I was about to exercise the authority of a teacher, a passage of God’s words came to my mind, “Now when some matter comes upon people, regardless of what the actual situation is, they think that they can do this and that, but God is not in their hearts, and they do it according to their own intentions. Regardless of whether the course of action is suitable or not, or whether it is in accordance with truth or not, they only stiffen their necks and act according to their personal intentions. It usually seems that God is in their hearts, but when they do things, God is not in their hearts. … Actually, people are not really seeking God and praying to God about this. They are not striving to do it well to satisfy God’s will, nor striving to do it well according to His requirements. They do not have this true situation, and they don’t have such desire. This is the greatest error people make in their practice, because you believe in God, but God is not in your heart. How is this not a sin? How is this not deceiving yourself? What effect will believing this way have? Where is the practical significance in believing in God?” The judgment and chastisement of God’s words promptly enlightened me. I used to declare before God that I would like to practice the truth. However, when I found the student was difficult to manage, I didn’t bring the problem before God to pray for it or to seek God’s will, nor did I find the way of practice in His word. Instead, I acted according to my personal intentions. My faith in God was in words only, and I would gain nothing in the end. Immediately, I prayed to God, “O God! A naughty boy transferred to my class. May You keep my heart to obey this environment. Please keep me from doing things by satanic disposition in the position of teacher any longer. As for that boy, whether he will change or not and to what extent can his view will change, they are all in Your hands. I’m willing to rely on You and commit him to You.”

After my prayer, I saw God’s word, “Normal humanity includes these aspects: insight, sense, conscience, and character. If you can achieve normality in each of these respects, your humanity is up to standard.” After reading these words, I began to examine my past behavior. Before, I treated my students as different categories. I always praised those outstanding students, rewarded and encouraged them. Yet those slow students always got physical punishment, which made them more depressed and caused them to be fed up with study in the end. All these were the evil I had done. Wasn’t I even possessed of a normal humanity at the very least? After realizing these, when I encountered that boy, I didn’t think he opposed me on purpose, but though God would perfect me to live out normal humanity through him. I would like to forsake myself and treat him fairly.

Later on, I often came to chat with him. At first, he was reluctant to contact with me. I persuaded him many times, but he still kept silent. My patience wore thin. When I was about to give up talking with him and leave him alone, a passage of words in “Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life” crossed my mind: “Everyone wants to practice love, coordination with others, forgiveness, patience, tolerance, but they fail; Each of us would like to care about others, love and help them, it is harder to practice. It is because people are deeply corrupted by Satan, isn’t it? It is because people are deeply corrupted by Satan, are full of satanic poisons and much hatred exists in man’s flesh.” According to this passage of fellowship, I was just aware that I was deeply corrupted by Satan. I could be tolerant and patient with students temporarily, but not perseveringly. I found I didn’t possess a normal humanity. How could I, in this way, establish a normal relationship with students? So I made a resolution inwardly: Whatever his attitude toward me is, I shall treat him with love. After that, I prayed to God and relied on Him for many times; under the guidance of Him, I came to talk with him again. Gradually he was willing to talk with me what was in his heart and his attitude toward me also changed.

Afterward, I often invited those naughty children of my class over on weekends. I helped them make up lessons, cooked for them and talked with them, through which I came to know why they were naughty: On the one hand, their parents were not by their side for a long time; on the other hand, their relatives didn’t care about them; in addition, teachers and their classmates often discriminated against them at school. As a result, their spirits were downtrodden. In order to comfort themselves, they made troubles by design, hoping to draw the attention of their parents and teachers. Knowing their inner voice, I thanked God in my heart unceasingly. If I had not had heart-to-heart talks with them and still employed my previous education method, I would have made them more and more oppressed and wouldn’t have been able to educate them well. From then on, through my care and guidance over and over again, the naughtiest boy seldom cursed or fought with others. What’s more, he was willing to join in the activities of our class and could finish his homework actively. Once, he had a private conservation with me of his own accord after a class meeting, which moved me most. He said he wanted to take revenge on one of his classmates and he had hidden a dagger in the woods. Inspired by the class meeting, he determined to give up that revenge. Besides, he gave the dagger to me for safekeeping, hoping that I could forgive him. Seeing his changes, I had greater confidence to rely on God to educate these children.

One day, I saw God’s words: “Today I have come to do the work of your salvation, which is to say that the work I do is a continuation of the work of salvation. Every person has the chance to be made perfect: Provided that you are willing, provided that you pursue, in the end you will be able to achieve the effects, and not one of you will be forsaken. If you are of poor caliber, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your poor caliber; if you are of high caliber, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your high caliber; if you are ignorant and illiterate, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your illiteracy; if you are literate, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your level of literacy; if you are elderly, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your age; … I want everyone to catch up, want everyone to have the work and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and be able to obey to the very end, because this is the duty that each of you should perform. When you have all performed your duty, you will all have been made perfect, you will also have resounding testimony.” The work God does varies from individual to individual and His requirements of us are in accordance with our caliber and stature, instead of imposing uniformity in all cases. God is really righteous! Later on, I began to practice His words. I arranged activities for my students according to their specialties as well as hobbies to stimulate their learning interest and increase their sense of collective honor and cohesion. Some were fond of literature and art, they would be arranged to publicity team of literature and art, and this team members would be in charge of all the related activities of our class; Some were interested in PE, they would be arranged to PE team; Some were good at painting, I arranged they into painting team, and so on. I allowed them to make the best of their advantages. When I didn’t force my personal ideas on them, their learning interest gradually improved and they had some changes in ideology and morality. The student, who once climbed on a moving train, was in charge of sports activities. He not only could give full play to his expertise, but bring forward some suggestions on who was good at long-distance running and who was good at high jump and so on. According to his arrangement, we trained the students in accordance with their advantages, our class won the prizes in every item in PE at last. What’s more, when he found his classmates quarrel and fight with others or make troubles, he would persuade them and mediate these matters in no time. No matter what good ideas he had in all aspects of work, he would communicate with me actively. Through discussion, we would work out some measures. Who would have thought that he became my capable assistant. Once, I was ill and didn’t take the class. To my surprise, he called some of his classmates to see me.

Before the graduation examination, I didn’t encourage my students to cheat. But I felt a little bit worried: This is a crucial exam and it directly related to my students’ entering a higher school as well as my reputation in our school. I thought: If they fail in this exam, how will others think of me? After that, I saw God’s words, “In truth, there are many matters in which man, if he devotes just the slightest effort, can put the truth into practice and thereby satisfy God. The heart of man is constantly possessed by demons and so he cannot act for the sake of God. Rather, he constantly journeys to and fro for the flesh, and profits nothing in the end. It is for these reasons that man has constant troubles and afflictions. Are these not the torments of Satan? Is this not corruption of the flesh? You should not fool God by only paying lip service. Rather, you must take tangible action. Do not fool yourself; what is the meaning in that? What can you gain by living for the sake of your flesh and toiling for fame and fortune?” Through the judgment and chastisement of God’s word, I realized that I was pursuing fame and position. Then, I prayed to God for many times and asked Him to protect my heart; I committed this exam into His hands and didn’t want to be restrained by fame and position. Before the exam, I encouraged my students: “Don’t be restrained by scores. Just try your best. You shouldn’t cheat in exams any more. Never lose heart if you fail. And I will help you with your lessons after that.” I never expected that our class still ranked high in the exam. After the graduation ceremony, my students would leave our school. I would never forget the affectionate care between these students and me.

Now, there is a qualitative change in my teaching. I deeply felt that when I taught by Satan’s philosophies of life in the past, I was tired and my students were fed up with me. When I relied on God and practiced the truth, I saw God’s blessings. Not only did my students can help each other truly, but we built a true relationship. I felt the peace and comfort that I have never had before. Afterward, some parents asked to send their children to my class so that they can be at ease. I know this is the result achieved by the work of God. And it makes me gain more confidence to rely on God to educate children.

I have truly tasted the sweetness of practicing God’s words and felt the preciousness of God’s words through my experience. God says, “Only if one knows God and has the truth does he live in the light; and only when his view of the world and his view of life change does he change fundamentally. When he has a life goal and comports himself according to the truth; when he absolutely submits to God and lives by God’s word; when he feels assured and brightened deep in his soul; when his heart is free of darkness; and when he lives completely freely and unrestrained in God’s presence—only then does he live a true human life and become a person possessing truth. Besides, all the truths you have are from God’s word and from God Himself. The Ruler of the entire universe and all things—God Most High—approves of you, as a real man living the true human life. What could be more meaningful than God’s approval? Such is a person who has the truth.” Only the truth can bring us the right path of life and only by coming before God and comporting ourselves according to His words can we live out a real life. Living under the domain of Satan and living by the life view and the life philosophies come from Satan will make us eviler and be less and less humane. I thank God for leading me to walk onto the right path of human life from the bottom of my heart. All the glory be to God!

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Tonight, the Dormitory Light Comes On

Tonight, the Dormitory Light Comes On

Chenxi

It was freezing cold in winter. The whole city was like a big icehouse. In the evening, Chenxi was on the way to the self-study classroom. Pulling up her collar higher, she rapidly put her hands into her pockets. She thought, how cold it was!

Two years ago, like many students who left their homes, she left her parents and came to the city to study. She imagined having a wonderful campus life and everyone striving toward their own ideals. But the reality broke her wonderful yearning.

In her dormitory lived six girls with very different characters, three of whom were the “only daughter.” They all had different living habits. As time went by, many conflicts appeared. Formerly, Chenxi always indulged her roommates, not quibbling over many little things in life. She thought believers in God shouldn’t act the same as unbelievers. She, therefore, always forbore with their unreasonable requests. However, these days, as soon as it grew dark, her roommates would turn the light off to see movies. Their reason was that turning off the light could create an atmosphere of cinema. This thing troubled her a lot. She wanted to read books and review lessons in the dormitory, for she would get exams after some time and she didn’t want to go to the self-study classroom on her own at night. Though she had tried many times to consult with them on whether they could turn on the light, their attitude was nevertheless rather inflexible. Every time they broke up in discord.

She had to brace herself to walk toward the self-study classroom. The more she thought about it, the more she felt angry: Is it reasonable not to study? You can see movies, but why insist on turning off the light? You are indeed selfish. Considering she was for studying, she even more felt what she did was correct while her roommates were at fault. Looking at the empty campus, she thought: Other students must be in their dormitories. If my roommates had not insisted on switching the light off to see movies, I wouldn’t have gone out suffering this. … At that time, she suddenly realized: It’s wrong to think in this way. Am not I falling into the influence of Satan? She hastened to pray to God silently in her heart, “O God! My stature is too small. When things happen to me, I always fixate my eyes on others, thinking they are not good. I’m often angry with my roommates at such trifles. Please keep me from living under Satan’s control. …” After the prayer, she remembered God’s words, “People do not require much of themselves, but they require much of others. They must be patient and forbearing of them, cherish them, provide for them, smile at them, be accommodating to them, and yield to them. … and they cannot …do anything that they would not like. Man’s reason is so lacking!” “Your reputation has been destroyed, your bearing is degrading, your way of speaking is lowly, your life is despicable, and even all of your humanity is lowly. You are narrow-minded toward people and you haggle over every little thing.” She examined herself while walking on the road. She recognized that the reason why she felt angry and aggrieved was not on account of others’ problems actually, but was that her nature was too selfish. For fear that her roommates hindered her from studying, she held some views against them, thinking they were selfish. In truth, it resulted from her selfish nature. Consequently, once her roommates’ deeds involved her interests, she would begin to fuss over things and quarrel with them, living by the poison of Satan “Everyone for himself and the devil take the hindmost.” She also realized that today, that she suffered coldness was the consequence of being unwilling to relinquish herself. God’s words revealed that we mankind are unqualified to require much of others. God said that it is an expression of lacking a reason to require too much of others and ask them to go with our own ideas. She came to realize that as a Christian, she should practice according to God’s words in all things but not be angry with classmates in this way, or she would lose testimony before Satan. Thinking of those, she prayed silently to God, “O God! Today I realize that my nature is too selfish. When my roommates’ deeds are disagreeable to me, I am unwilling to obey, and even have quarrels with them, having no likeness of a Christian. God, I’m willing to practice the truth and obey the environment You arranged. May You lead me to put it into practice. …” After praying, she immediately had strength, no longer feeling that their turning off the light was wrong, but instead feeling that she should adjust to them and should not ram her opinions down their throat. It was the manifestation of arrogance and selfishness.

When understanding these, she wanted to go back to the dormitory, instead of going to the self-study classroom alone. Regardless of whether she could read books and whether the deadlock among them could be resolved, she was willing to face it. Because the intention of God was to let her learn to put herself aside. This lesson was arranged by God, was which she needed to enter. And also, she needed to transform herself.

Chenxi went toward the dormitory. Her heart was still somewhat uneasy, for she didn’t know what waited for her next: maybe an unlighted light, their dissatisfaction or anything else …

She pushed open the door nervously. A warm air blew into her face. “You are back, Chenxi. Have you eaten dinner? Turn on the light and eat your dinner.” A roommate said to her. In an instant, she blushed, asking, “Won’t I interfere with your seeing movies?” “Oh, it’s okay. In the future, we’ll see movies with the light on. Eat your dinner while it is still warm. …” She looked around at her roommates. Hesitating for a moment, she put on the light. She felt the light tonight was especially bright. She couldn’t help smiling, pleased, beyond all concealment. She was so surprised how their attitude could be changed so greatly. She sighed with emotion that she just practiced a little truth but received such a big surprise. She felt that God is too amiable and lovely!

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Obeying God and Shaking Off Pain and Emptiness

Cheng Yi

I am an ambitious and arrogant woman. When I was thirty years old, my husband overstepped the bounds, abandoning my daughter and me. So, I left with my daughter in humiliation, for which people felt regret. After arriving in a new city, I resolved on being a strong and independent woman as well as set a goal to strive for: I must train my daughter as a graduate. I must buy a suit of house in this city. I must stand in high spirits before that man who forsook me to retrieve my dignity someday. I did believe that I could change my fate by my efforts. However, in the over ten years that followed, no matter how I strove, my dream never came true. Not only did I suffer setbacks in my career time and again, but I ran up debts. Furthermore, my daughter wallowed in online games at an early age, becoming more and more decadent. My desire of retrieving the lost dignity fell short of the mark. … Faced with my own circumstance, I thought that I paid so much but none was fulfilled. I felt pained as if my heart was hollowed out. I sensed that I was a failure, exhausted. I didn’t resign myself to plodding hard but accomplishing nothing, yet I neither knew how to change my fate nor what the value of man’s living was. When I was in pain and feeling helpless, I often looked up at the sky and cried: There is no hope in my life; what is the significance of being alive?

At this time, my mother back home called me, saying: “Get back home. Stop struggling. That’s fate.” At that moment, I saw myself with white hair in the mirror. I could not help but sigh in my heart: I’m already forty-five years old. I’ve gone through half a life’s journey, but now I’m still as bare as the palm of my hands. The former haughtiness becomes a sigh. What other results can I get in my own strength? Thinking of the word people often say “acknowledging the will of Heaven at fifty,” I calmed down and thought: I exert myself to the utmost over ten years for achieving my life goal but end up with nothing. Will I really spend a flat life as fate would have it? I’m not reconciled, but what else can I do? I had no choice but to compromise to fate. From then onward, facing all manners of circumstances, I no longer was swayed by my feelings or had a senseless struggle or uttered complaints, but was content with things as they were. It seemed I stood aloof from worldly strife. I thought I had found the best way of living and the best life attitude, but in reality, I could not free myself from the struggle and emptiness in my deep heart. I was still living in pain and hopelessness. …

Up to one day, I surfed on the Internet, seeing a religious website inadvertently and then I clicked it. I was greatly touched by its content, in which I found the root of my living a painful and empty life and had a correct understanding of life. I read this passage of words, “Some people have a profound, deeply-felt understanding of the phrase ‘that’s fate,’ yet they do not in the least bit believe in God’s sovereignty, do not believe that a human fate is arranged and orchestrated by God, and are unwilling to submit to the sovereignty of God. Such people are as if adrift on the ocean, tossed by the waves, floating with the current, with no choice but to wait passively and resign themselves to fate. Yet they do not recognize that human fate is subject to God’s sovereignty; they cannot come to know God’s sovereignty on their own initiative, and thereby achieve knowledge of God’s authority, submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, stop resisting fate, and live under God’s care, protection, and guidance. In other words, accepting fate is not the same thing as submitting to the Creator’s sovereignty; belief in fate does not mean that one accepts, recognizes, and knows the Creator’s sovereignty; belief in fate is just recognition of this fact and this outer phenomenon, which is different from knowing how the Creator rules humanity’s fate, from recognizing that the Creator is the source of dominion over the fates of all things, and even more from submitting to the Creator’s orchestrations and arrangements for humanity’s fate. If a person only believes in fate—even feels deeply about it—but is not thereby able to know, recognize, submit to, and accept the Creator’s sovereignty over the fate of humanity, then his or her life will nonetheless be a tragedy, a life lived in vain, a void; he or she will still be unable to become subject to the Creator’s dominion, to become a created human being in the truest sense of the phrase, and enjoy the Creator’s approval. … Only when one accepts the Creator’s sovereignty, submits to His orchestrations and arrangements, and seeks true human life, will one gradually break free from all heartbreak and suffering, shake off all the emptiness of life.” These words woke me up. It turned out that it was because I didn’t have the stamina to try doggedly that I had to resign myself to fate. I recalled my experience over a decade: For the sake of realizing my desire, I have ran a beauty salon, managed a Taobao shop and made a private investment, but I ended up with complete failure. Afterward, I hung the only hope on my daughter, setting my heart on sending her into the college. However, she insisted on dropping out of school and stepped into the society early. My hope shattered thoroughly. No longer did I have the motivation for struggling at this time, only choosing to submit to the will of Heaven. Nevertheless, I didn’t truly know that God rules over humanity’s fate and willingly accept and obey all things arranged by the Creator, but chose another lifestyle to escape His sovereignty over my fate, that is to say, had no alternative but to fritter away my life when opposing Him. I did acknowledge the will of Heaven, yet it did not mean me obeying God’s will. Thus, I couldn’t be freed from the struggle deep in my soul, still living in emptiness and misery.

I went on surfing and saw another passage, which pointed out a clear way to me. It says, “If one’s attitude toward God’s sovereignty over human fate is active, then when one looks back upon one’s journey, when one truly comes to grips with God’s sovereignty, one will more earnestly desire to submit to everything that God has arranged, will have more of the determination and confidence to let God orchestrate one’s fate, to stop rebelling against God. For one sees that when one does not comprehend fate, when one does not understand God’s sovereignty, when one gropes forward willfully, staggering and tottering, through the fog, the journey is too difficult, too heartbreaking. So when people recognize God’s sovereignty over human fate, the smart ones choose to know it and accept it, to bid farewell to the painful days when they tried to build a good life with their own two hands, instead of continuing to struggle against fate and pursue their so-called life goals in their own manner. When one has no God, when one cannot see Him, when one cannot clearly recognize God’s sovereignty, every day is meaningless, worthless, miserable. Wherever one is, whatever one’s job is, one’s means of living and the pursuit of one’s goals bring one nothing but endless heartbreak and irrelievable suffering, such that one cannot bear to look back. Only when one accepts the Creator’s sovereignty, submits to His orchestrations and arrangements, and seeks true human life, will one gradually break free from all heartbreak and suffering, shake off all the emptiness of life.” My heart was awakened by these words. I thought about the way I had walked before. Without direction, I staggered and tottered through the fog, moving every step with hardships and sorrows. Even though I had believed in God, I didn’t truly recognize God’s sovereignty over human fate. Depending on my own efforts, I planned my own life and pursued the objective set by myself. When I suffered defeats after going all out, not attaining my aim, I was painful, disappointed, and even thought death was the best mercy. Whenever I ran back over all of this, I felt distressed. Through reading these words now, I felt they pointed out my confusions and thoughts. I didn’t believe that my fate is in God’s hands, and wanted to change my fate by my effort. Opposing God was grieving and agonizing. I felt these words were the truth and came from God. What’s more, they told me that if I wanted to get rid of these sufferings, I only had one path: bidding farewell to the lifestyle of creating a good life by my own efforts, not continuing to plan my future by myself any longer, but accepting God’s sovereignty, submitting to His orchestrations and arrangements and living under His leadership and guidance. Only in this way could I shake off all the suffering and emptiness. At that time, I gained the unprecedented comfort, feeling my life had a favorable turn. Enlightened a lot in my heart, I was willing to practice in accordance with these words.

After that, I often prayed to God and read His words. I learned to rely on God when I encountered something in my life, committed my job, family and daughter to His control and no longer changed things depending on my own efforts. Gradually, I found God’s arrangements are good and felt so wonderfully assured and peaceful deep in my soul. I was full of hope and confidence in my future life. Looking back upon every stage of life I had gone through, I understood that each step is led by God, regardless of whether it is hard or smooth. My birth, family, job, marriage, including any tribulation I will experience in my life, have long been destined by God. Thank God! I am willing to commit all my life to Him, letting Him be my Lord, my God, and pursuing to be a true worshiper of Him.

Recommended:
With God, I’m No Longer Empty and Helpless
My Painful Experience of Struggling Against Fate
Walking the Bright Path of Human Life

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Never Be Another Han Hao Bird

Never Be Another Han Hao Bird

Zhao Feng

There is such a story. In a cave there lived a Han Hao bird. As winter approached, other birds busied themselves building their nests and preparing warm and cozy nests to spend the chilly winter, while the Han Hao bird alone played around. So, other birds told it, “Before the winter comes, hurry to get the nest ready and you will pass the chilly winter.” But the Han Hao bird didn’t think so and said, “It is so warm and the winter is far away!” Like that, other birds finished building their nests, yet the Han Hao bird didn’t build its nest other than muddle along. Soon, the winter came. In the evening, the north wind whistled into the cave. The Han Hao bird quaked with cold, whining plaintively, “It is so cold! So cold! I’ll freeze in the cold wind. I must build a nest tomorrow.” The long cold night passed eventually. In the morning of the next day, the bright sun rose from the east and the earth basked in the warm sunshine a while later. The Han Hao bird started to play around again. Other birds tried to persuade it to build its nest as soon as possible. But it said, “It is so warm today and I’ll build the nest tomorrow.” Soon, the night fell. The chilly north wind made it tremble with cold again. It whined plaintively again, “It is so cold! So cold! I’ll freeze in the cold wind. I must build a nest tomorrow.” At dawn, however, once the warm sun came out, it forgot all about the cold of the night before and continued to loiter around. Soon, the evening descended again and the north wind whistled into the cave. In the next morning, the warm sun shone as usual, but the Han Hao bird couldn’t be seen everywhere. All the birds went to the cave in succession and found the poor Han Hao bird frozen to death in the cave.

Brief though the story is, it is of great meaning. The Han Hao bird put off building the nest again and again because of merely indulging in the immediate pleasures, and ultimately froze to death in the cold cave. Just as the song named Song of Tomorrow goes, “Tomorrow comes and again comes tomorrow, Tomorrows are like rivers that endlessly flow. If all my things are put off till tomorrow, My time wasted to no purpose will brew woe.” This song continuously admonishes people to value time, to do what they can do today, rather than put off them until tomorrow or idle the days away. If we put off everything we can do today till tomorrow, we will trifle away our time and miss many chances. The lessons of the Han Hao bird reflect the status quo of mankind in current society. Nowadays, most people gorge themselves on the ease of the flesh and have no concern for how they will be tomorrow. When facing with God’s work of saving mankind in the last days, man delays it time and again and refuses it with varieties of reasons. As we all know, today is the last days. All the disasters across the world become increasingly terrible and various disasters such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, plagues and smog become ever more frequent. These are the Creator’s warnings to mankind, for all mankind have been supremely corrupted and the evils of mankind have been unbearable for God to witness. However, before God utterly destroys mankind, He does the work of saving mankind, which is to say, the last stage of judgment work beginning with the house of God. God uses words to lead man, to save man and finally to class man according to kind. To the people in the last days, this can be called the golden opportunity of God saving mankind, for this stage of work is unprecedented and will never be repeated. When facing with the gospel of Almighty God, however, most people are unhurried about it or refuse it politely. Most young people will say, “We’re young. We want to take the chance to enjoy ourselves. We’ll believe in God when we grow old.” The elders will say, “Nowadays, it is the right time for us to help our sons and daughters. We’ll believe in God when our grandchildren grow up.” The farmers will say, “We’ll believe in God when we are not busy with farm work.” The workers will say, “We’ll believe in God when we retire.” Don’t they have no time? Yes, they have time. That is because they treasure their flesh and treat the immediate interests as the most precious things, just like the Han Hao bird only caring about the immediate petty enjoyments of the flesh and having no concern for the end of its fate. Have you ever known that you have shut the door on the chance of God’s salvation unwittingly?

In the time of Noah, men had been eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, licentious and corrupt, to such a point that it was unbearable for God to witness. Because of God’s holy and righteous essence, He had no choice but to destroy that mankind. Before destroying that mankind, He had Noah build the ark and pass to the people the message that God would destroy the world. However, the people in that age did not follow Noah’s admonitions, still living in eating, drinking, fun, and even scoffed at him and treated him as a madman. For they believed that it was fine and sunny and there would be no downpour, so that building the ark was of no use. However, by the time God destroyed the world, the flood was poured down, filling up the low valleys, drowning the peaks and destroying all of the people. Only Noah and the seven members of his family were on board and survived the destruction, while other people were swallowed by the flood on account of their greed for immediate pleasures. At that moment, it was too late. As Almighty God says, “Look back to the time of Noah’s ark: Mankind was deeply corrupt, had strayed from the blessing of God, was no longer cared for by God, and had lost the promises of God. They lived in darkness, without the light of God. Thus they became licentious by nature, abandoned themselves to hideous depravity. … Their heart strayed farther and farther from God, and as it did, they became depraved beyond all reason and humanity, and became increasingly evil. Thus they came ever closer to death, and fell under the wrath and punishment of God. Only Noah worshiped God and shunned evil, and so he was able to hear the voice of God, and hear the instructions of God. He built the ark according to the instructions of God’s word, and assembled all manner of living creatures. And in this way, once everything had been prepared, God unleashed His destruction upon the world. Only Noah and the seven members of his family survived the destruction, for Noah worshiped Jehovah and shunned evil” (“God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). “You do not feel the preciousness of light when you are living in it, but you will be cognizant of its preciousness once you are living in the dark night. You will be sorry then. You feel fine now, but the day will come when you will be sorry. When that day comes and darkness descends and light is nevermore, your regrets will be too late. It is because you still do not understand the present work that you fail to cherish your time now. Once the work of the entire universe begins, meaning when everything I am saying today has come true, many people will be holding their heads in bitter crying. Is that not falling into the darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth?”(“The Inside Truth of the Conquering Work (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). 

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Life Could Be So Beautiful

Life Could Be So Beautiful

Chenyu

What Course of Life to Take

Everyone is going forward along the predestined course of life. No one can go back to the past or see into the future. Even so, many still enjoy and never tire of exploring and planning their lives.

I have a friend. She had made plans for her future in her youth: getting into an elite university, opening her own grand hotel after graduation, achieving a great career. … She regarded realizing these ideals as her life goals. However, the first step in her life journey was an agonized failure. She only entered a second rate university after repeating two years of school. After entering university, she studied very hard, hoping that after graduation, she could start her career in a big city. But she didn’t do the trick and could only live and work in a third-tier city. Later, she persistently tried to establish a business, but all of her attempts came to nothing. … At last, she suffered a nervous breakdown, unable to fall asleep at nights. She was wrapped in depression, heavy of heart all day, and always complained about the bitterness of life.

My friend’s experiences made me ask myself: What is my ideal of life? What is my goal in life? What will my life course be like? I was not as much a utilitarian as my friend, but after seeking for a long time, I found no answer, and my mind still wandered. Looking around, some people devoted themselves to study, some chased their beloved arts. … I began to imitate them. I started to learn foreign languages, read various books, and seek the way of success. However, none of these things aroused my interest, so I failed to find my goal in life. I felt that the more I tried, the more confused I became. But I still told myself: Life without a goal would be totally meaningless. So, day after day I thought and thought, looking for the answers. But I never succeeded. Consequently, I began to complain: Why can I never find my course of life?

Thought-provoking Words

One day, in a book my friend gave me, I saw these words: “… that nothing happens at random, that these things’ ramifications, and their inevitability, cannot be shifted by human will. Every happening conveys an admonition from the Creator to mankind, and it also sends the message that human beings cannot control their own fates; at the same time every event is a rebuttal to humanity’s wild, futile ambition and desire to take its fate into its own hands. They are like powerful slaps about humanity’s ears one after another, forcing people to reconsider who, in the end, governs and controls their fate. And as their ambitions and desires are repeatedly thwarted and shattered, humans naturally arrive at an unconscious acceptance of what fate has in store, an acceptance of reality, of the will of Heaven and the Creator’s sovereignty. From these daily vicissitudes to the fates of entire human lives, there is nothing that does not reveal the Creator’s plans and His sovereignty; there is nothing that does not send the message that ‘the Creator’s authority cannot be exceeded,’ that does not convey the eternal truth that ‘the Creator’s authority is supreme.’”

“Because people do not recognize God’s orchestrations and God’s sovereignty, they always face fate defiantly, with a rebellious attitude, and always want to cast off God’s authority and sovereignty and the things fate has in store, hoping in vain to change their current circumstances and alter their fate. But they can never succeed; they are thwarted at every turn. This struggle, which takes place deep in one’s soul, is painful; the pain is unforgettable; and all the while one is frittering away one’s life. What is the cause of this pain? Is it because of God’s sovereignty, or because a person was born unlucky? Obviously neither is true. At bottom, it is because of the paths people take, the ways people choose to live their lives” (from “God Himself, the Unique III”).

It’s Never Too Late to Apprehend Happiness

As a popular saying goes: One proper word can wake up the dreamers. Pondering these thought-provoking words, I suddenly understood: Our specialties, likes, and what we will undergo in our lives have long been arranged by God. It turns out that God is the general director of our life course. Because we don’t know God’s sovereignty, we always want to take our life path according to our imaginations and dictate our own fate, and are not willing to obey God’s arrangements. Then, what we have brought for ourselves will only be endless pain. Haven’t I and my friend been like this? What she pursued was utilitarian and material, and what I pursued was also to be looked up to by others through my own efforts and find the so-called self-value. In a word, both of us wanted to oppose God’s sovereignty and change our own fate. We had wracked our brains to copy the lives of so-called successful men, thinking that only living such a life could be called success. However, as we were treading in others’ steps, we gradually realized that other people’s lives didn’t suit us. The time flew, and the prime of the years slipped by. In my backward glance, I suddenly realized that I had already let slip the chance to experience my own lives. Once again, I entered into a state of bewilderment after I had sought yet attained nothing. Living in misery, I didn’t know the way ahead, as if I was lost in a desert. I saw the mirage of an oasis again and again, but till my stock of energy was exhausted, I still couldn’t find any way out. Thus loneliness, emptiness, and melancholy piled up in the depths of my souls.

Now, I finally had some comprehension: If we don’t know God’s sovereignty or submit to it, attempt to surpass the fate predestined by God, then the only result for us is failure. My precious time was wasted and lost, and I regretted it. This kind of struggle deep in the soul was unbearable and distressful. Why not try my best to change myself and give all my life to God before it’s too late? Only by doing this can I begin my first step on the road to a free and happy life.

Life Like a Starry Sky

From then on, I gradually learned to obey God’s orchestrations. Without superior ability, I did what I could, like writing and dancing. Though it didn’t make me stand out from others, I saw that I was making progress. Without pretty face or fine figure, I could not capture more people’s hearts, but I gradually understood that it was God’s great protection for me. Because in this evil and licentious age, if I had a beautiful appearance and was coquettish, I would certainly fall into the temptation of Satan, lost in licentiousness and unable to extricate myself from it. Without the chance to chase fame and gain, I could believe in God attentively. Although I did not make a rise in life, I learned from God’s words the mysteries of life and understood that only by practicing and experiencing God’s words, can man be free from the bondage of sin and live out the manner of a true person who has truth and humanity, and can man’s heart and spirit receive freedom, relief, certainty, and peace from God…. In this way, I accepted the environment no matter how it changed, actively submitted to God’s guidance, and experienced the life course predestined for me by God. So, I lived a comfortable and happy life. As I continuously practiced and experienced God’s words—when I encountered difficulties, I often sought and prayed to God, looked up to and depended on Him; and I conducted myself according to His requirements—my corrupted disposition was gradually changed. Now, I have gone through most of my life; when I look back to these years after I came before God, I no longer feel empty and painful. I have walked the right way of life of fearing God and shunning evil, and feel free and joyful to live by truth before God.

Our lives are like the stars in the vast cosmos. If we devoutly live by the course predestined by God, submit to His guidance, and appreciate His deeds, then we will find that a life with God’s presence and blessings is indeed like the stars in the sky, peaceful, orderly, beautiful, and tranquil….

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A Symphony of My Fate
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