How to Pursue the Truth (8) Part One
Previously, we fellowshipped about the first major aspect of how to pursue the truth, which is letting go. With respect to letting go, we fellowshipped about the first aspect of practice, which is letting go of various negative emotions. Our aim in fellowshipping about and dissecting people’s various negative emotions is mainly to address the incorrect and distorted ideas and viewpoints hidden beneath those negative emotions. Isn’t that right? (Yes.) That is, by resolving the negative emotions in people’s hearts, we aim to address the negative ideas and viewpoints they hold deep within their hearts toward various people, events, and things. Of course, it is also by exposing and dissecting various negative emotions and providing people with the correct thoughts, viewpoints, and understanding that people’s various negative emotions might be resolved. This is so that people are not troubled or bound by erroneous and distorted ideas and viewpoints whenever things befall them, whether in their daily lives or on their life’s path, and instead face each day, and the people, events, and things that befall them during each day, with positive, correct ideas and viewpoints that accord with the truth. Thus, when encountering people, events, and things in real life, they will not respond with hotheadedness but will live within the realm of normal human conscience and reason, and will be able to approach and handle every situation they face or experience in their life and on life’s path rationally, using the accurate and correct ways that God has taught. One aspect of doing this is so that people live under the guidance and influence of correct ideas and viewpoints. The other aspect is so that they handle every situation correctly under the guidance and influence of these positive ideas and viewpoints. The ability to handle every situation correctly is not the ultimate goal of course. The ultimate goal is to accomplish what those who believe in God should accomplish, which is to fear God and stay away from evil, to submit to God, and to His arrangements and orchestrations, to submit to every environment He has set up, and of course to submit to one’s destiny over which He is sovereign, and live rationally among every person, event, and thing, in every environment. In summary, whether we are fellowshipping about and dissecting people’s negative emotions or negative ideas and viewpoints, all this relates to the path that a created being should walk, the life path that God requires of a normal person. And, of course, it also relates to the principles that a created being should have, in terms of how they view people and things, how they comport themselves, and how they act. Letting go of various negative emotions is ostensibly about resolving people’s negative emotions and addressing the negative and fallacious ideas and viewpoints concealed beneath those negative emotions. But in fact, you could also say that essentially it is about guiding people, providing for them, and helping them, or about teaching people how to comport themselves, and how to be a true and normal person, a rational person, the person that God requires them to be, one He loves, and one who pleases God, when encountering various environments, people, events, and things. It is the same as other aspects of the truth principles, in that they all relate to one’s comportment. On the surface, the topic of letting go of various negative emotions seemingly involves a completely mundane emotion, or a state in which people are living at the moment. But in reality, these emotions and these simple states are related to the path that people walk and the principles by which they comport themselves. From a person’s perspective, they may seem insignificant and not worth mentioning. However, because they relate to the viewpoints that people hold and the perspectives and standpoints they adopt when encountering various people, events, and things, they have to do with one’s comportment. More specifically, they involve how to view people and things, how to comport oneself, and how to act. Because they involve how to view people and things, how to comport oneself, and how to act, these negative emotions and negative ideas and viewpoints need to be constantly examined and reflected upon in people’s daily lives. Of course, it is also necessary for people to be able to promptly correct themselves whenever they discover during the process of reflection that they have negative emotions or negative and fallacious ideas and viewpoints, and to be able to promptly replace these negative emotions and fallacious ideas and viewpoints with positive and correct thoughts and viewpoints that accord with the truth principles. This enables them to view people and things, comport themselves, and act with God’s words as the foundation and with the truth as the criterion. It is also a way for people’s dispositions to be transformed so that they align with God, and so as to achieve fear of God and to stay away from evil. The above things that we have fellowshipped on are basically the key details of the first aspect, “letting go,” in “How to Pursue the Truth.” Of course, among various human emotions, there are also certain specific, minor negative things, or some special negative emotions that are not at all representative, and which also relate to some negative or fallacious thoughts and viewpoints. These negative emotions or fallacious thoughts and viewpoints can be said to have minimal effects on people, so we will not fellowship about them individually in greater detail.
All the negative emotions we fellowshipped about earlier can basically represent issues that exist in people’s real lives or on their life’s path. These emotions involve various viewpoints on how to view people and things, and how to comport oneself and act. These various negative thoughts and viewpoints on how to view people and things, and how to comport oneself and act relate to broader directions, major principles, and to people’s pursuit of the truth. So, these are things that people should let go of and address within their thoughts and viewpoints. Some particular, non-representative, or more personalized matters that remain—such as food, clothing, personal life, and so on—do not involve the major principles of how one views people and things, and how they comport themselves and act, and it could be said that they do not involve making a distinction between positive and negative things. Therefore, they are not within the scope of the topic we are fellowshipping on. For example, when someone says, “I like things that are black,” that is their freedom, their personal taste and preference. Does this involve any principles? (No, it doesn’t.) It doesn’t involve how one views people and things, let alone how they comport themselves and act. For example, someone who wears glasses for shortsightedness says, “I like frames with a gold rim.” And someone else says, “Gold rims are so outdated. I prefer glasses without rims.” Does this involve principles of how to view people and things, and how to comport oneself and act? (No, it doesn’t.) It doesn’t involve principles of how to view people and things, and how to comport oneself and act. Others say, “I have negative feelings about daily household chores and cleaning. I always feel that they are troublesome and make my life exhausting. Even eating is a bother. It takes over an hour to prepare a meal, and after eating, I still have to wash the dishes, clean the pots, and tidy up the kitchen, and these things are particularly annoying as well.” Still others say, “Life is so troublesome. Your clothes need to be switched out every season, and yet it’s too hot in summer no matter how thin your clothes are, and too cold in winter no matter how thick your clothes are. This physical body is really a pain!” When their hair gets dirty, they don’t want to wash it, but when they don’t wash it, it itches. They have an air of lethargy and untidiness. They can’t get away with not washing their hair, but they get irritated when they do wash it, thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great to have no hair? It’s so annoying to have to cut and wash it all the time!” Are these negative emotions? (Yes.) Should these negative emotions be resolved? Do they belong to the various negative emotions that should be let go of? (No, they don’t.) Why don’t they belong? (These are just some habits and issues related to the physical life of the body.) Women, especially adult women, can handle these trivial daily matters, such as washing, tidying up, and cleaning up after themselves. Men are a little worse off. They tend to find cooking, doing laundry, and household chores troublesome. They particularly struggle when it comes to doing laundry. Should they wash it? They don’t feel like it. Should they not wash it? It’s too dirty, and they worry they’ll be mocked, so they just rinse it off for a second in water. Men and women have slightly different approaches and attitudes toward handling these trivial daily matters. Women tend to be more meticulous and particular, paying attention to cleanliness and appearance, while men may be relatively rough in handling these affairs. But there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not good to be too messy; especially when you’re living with other people, you will be exposing too many of your flaws and this will make others dislike you. These flaws are defects in your humanity, and you should overcome those that need to be overcome, and resolve those that need to be resolved. Be a bit more diligent, organize things in your living space, fold your clothes and blankets properly, and clean and organize your work environment every other day or every few days so as not to bother others—it’s really that simple. There’s no need for you to feel challenged, is there? (No.) As for how often you personally bathe or change clothes, it’s fine as long as it doesn’t affect others’ moods. This is the standard. If you don’t bathe, wash your hair, or change clothes for an extended period of time, you start to smell, and no one wants to be near you, that’s not okay. You should wash up and make yourself presentable, at least so as not to affect the mood of others. They shouldn’t have to cover their nose or mouth while talking to you, and feel embarrassed because of you. If others treat you like this and you don’t mind it or care, then you can continue living that way. No one has put any excessive demands on you. As long as you are able to accept it. But if you feel embarrassed, try your best to manage your personal living environment and hygiene, so that others won’t be bothered by these. The goal is not to lay any undue burden or stress upon your own life and to consider the feelings of others. Do not put pressure or force your influence on others. This is the minimum requirement for normal human conscience and reason. If you don’t even possess this much, how can you comport yourself with decency? Therefore, these things that someone with normal humanity should be able to attain don’t require much explanation. God’s house doesn’t need to give you specific assignments or commands. You should be able to handle them yourself. The personal matters I mentioned above don’t involve principles or criteria for how to view people and things, how to comport oneself, and how to act. Therefore, you can rely on the most basic human conscience and reason to handle them. A person with a normal human conscience and reason ought to possess this level of intelligence. There’s no need to make a big deal out of it, and what’s more, these trivial matters should not be treated as issues that require understanding or resolution through the pursuit of the truth, because these are things that any person with normal humanity can accomplish. Even a small dog understands what it means to be decent. If humans don’t understand that, then they fall short of the standards of being human, don’t they? (Yes.) I have a pet dog. This dog is particularly good-looking, with big eyes, a wide mouth, and a nicely shaped nose. Once, it got into a fight with its own pup over food, and the pup bit it on the nose. There was a small wound in the middle of its nose after that, which ruined its appearance. I quickly applied medication to the wound and said, “What can we do now? If such a good-looking dog is left with a scar, what a sad sight it would make!” I told it, “From now on, don’t follow us when we go out. If people see a scar on your face, they’ll think you look ugly.” After hearing this, it made a sound of agreement, stared blankly for a moment, and widened its eyes. I continued, “You’re injured. You have such a big wound on your nose, people might laugh at you if they see it. You need to rest and heal. You can’t follow us out until you’re fully recovered.” After hearing My words, it didn’t make another sound, and didn’t insist on going out. I thought, even a dog knows what’s what. After a while, the wound scabbed over and improved significantly, so I took it outside. One sister saw the little dog and asked, “Hey, what happened to your nose?” After hearing that, it turned its head and ran without looking back, straight to the car, refusing to come back. When the sister began talking to it, it behaved itself, drinking water when she offered. It didn’t run away. But as soon as she asked, “What happened to your nose?” it turned its head and ran without looking back. When we returned home, I asked it, “Your nose was injured, why did you run away when the sister asked you about it? Are you shy?” It looked at Me with a shy expression, constantly lowering its head and feeling too embarrassed to look at Me. It snuggled into My arms, letting Me pet and hold it. I told it, “You can’t fight with your pup anymore. If you get injured and it leaves scars again, you might look ugly. People will laugh at you. Where will you hide your face?” Look, even a little five-year-old dog knows what it means to feel shy. It knows to hide from people because its face is injured and is afraid of being laughed at. If a small dog has this level of intelligence, shouldn’t humans have it too? (Yes.) Humans should have it, that is to say it should be something that they possess within the scope of their reason. What does it mean to be decent? What does it mean to become edified and not to be disliked or repulsed by others? You should have this standard within yourself. It is the simplest matter in daily life, and with a normal human conscience and reason, you can handle things accurately without the need for fellowshipping about truths such as resolving people’s corrupt disposition or negative emotions. Of course, if you live in your own home, you can be a bit messy, the standards are not as strict. However, if you live together with brothers and sisters, you must ensure that your normal humanity is well-maintained. Although we don’t have any specific requirements or strict standards for this, as a normal human being, you should have a sense of these matters. These are things that people with normal humanity should do and possess. They do not involve thoughts, viewpoints, perspectives, or standpoints on how to view people and things, comport oneself, and act, and they certainly do not involve a greater life path, direction, or goal. Consequently, it would be best for you to resolve these matters according to the requirements of normal human conscience and reason, so that others don’t gossip or feel disgusted by you because of these things. As for personal habits, hobbies, differences in personality, or choices regarding matters unrelated to the principles, these things that do not involve thoughts and viewpoints, you are free to choose and keep your own mannerisms. God’s house will not interfere. God has given people free will and basic conscience and reason, allowing individuals to choose their own interests, hobbies and habits, or the lifestyles that suit their personalities. No one has the right to control, restrict, or lay blame on you. Regarding matters that do not involve the truth principles or God’s requirements in His words, specifically speaking, matters that do not involve how to view people and things, comport themselves, and act, people have the right to freely choose their own way of life without any interference from others. If a leader, group head, or supervisor criticizes or interferes with you regarding personal matters, you have the right to turn them away. In summary, these matters of normal humanity have nothing to do with the requirements of God’s words or the truth principles. As long as you feel comfortable and appropriate, and your behavior doesn’t have any impact on or disturb others, that’s fine. For example, if you enjoy dressing up and staying tidy, as long as you don’t affect others, it’s not a problem. But if it’s late at night and others need to go to sleep at eleven, and you’re still doing laundry or cleaning, that’s not acceptable. If you’re in your own home and you’re not affecting other people’s lives, you can stay up all night until four or five in the morning if you want. That’s your freedom. However, now that you’re living together with brothers and sisters, your actions will impact their daily routines and schedules. That’s not good. By doing so, you’re not exercising your rights and freedom correctly; instead, you’re being willful, which is called lacking humanity. For the sake of your own freedom and to satisfy the preferences and desires of your own flesh, you disrupt others’ lives and even sacrifice their time to rest. This behavior does not align with normal human conscience and reason. It needs to change. This relates to the principles of self-comportment. It’s not about whether there’s something wrong with your personal lifestyle or habits of cleanliness. It’s about a problem with the principles of how you comport yourself. You don’t consider others’ feelings, moods, or interests. You protect and preserve your own interests at the expense of others’. This way of behaving is not in line with God’s requirements for comporting oneself or with the principles of comportment that God requires. Therefore, any preferences, interests, lifestyle choices, habits, freedoms, rights, etc., of normal humanity must stay within the scope of a person’s conscience and reason in order to be considered normal humanity. If they exceed the boundaries of normal human conscience and reason, then that is not normal humanity, is it? (No.) Within the boundaries of normal human conscience and reason, you are behaving like a normal person. If you go beyond the boundaries of normal human conscience and reason and still emphasize your freedom, then you’re not acting like a normal person; you’re subhuman. This is something that needs to change, it should be clear. What should be clear? It should be clear that these personal matters should be handled within the boundaries of normal human conscience and reason, and that this is a principle of self-comportment. Your personal habits, demands, lifestyle choices, etc., are all up to you, as long as they don’t exceed the boundaries of normal human conscience and reason. There are no specific requirements regarding these matters.
In the first section of how to pursue the truth, “letting go,” as regards letting go of various negative emotions, such as inferiority, hatred, anger, depression, distress, worry, anxiety, and repression, these are basically the major directional issues and issues involving principles that we need to fellowship about. As for the minor, side issues that do not involve principles or directions, earlier we fellowshipped about them comprehensibly. As for the reluctance, dissatisfaction, discontentment, and so on, you feel toward your own personal issues, as long as they do not involve genuine thoughts and viewpoints and do not touch upon the principles of how one views people and things, or how they comport themselves and act, they are your own personal matters. You need to adjust and address them within the scope of your conscience and reason. For example, you’re hungry and don’t feel like cooking, but you’re too weak to work on an empty stomach, and when you do cook, you get irritated. You might think, “Is this a negative emotion?” This isn’t a negative emotion; it’s your physical laziness and dislike for cooking. It’s a matter of your corrupted flesh. If your financial conditions allow, you can hire someone to help you with cooking. If you don’t have the financial means, then you can only solve it yourself. Others are not obligated to solve these life problems for you; it’s your own responsibility. These mundane tasks of eating, getting dressed, and brushing and scrubbing are a part of human life. They’re inherent to man’s existence. Humans are different from cats and dogs. Once you adopt a kitten or a puppy, you are responsible for its food and drink. When it’s hungry, you need to feed it. But this won’t work for humans; humans have to take care of and shoulder these aspects of life themselves. It’s not a burden; learning to handle these things properly is something people with normal humanity can achieve. It’s only that some people might feel that they’ve never done these things before, especially certain men whose parents or family members helped them stay organized and pampered them so much they never learned how to cook, wash clothes, or take care of things in their own lives. This is a result of family environment. However, once they leave their parents and start living independently, they are capable of doing everything themselves, including washing clothes and making their bed. In fact, these are things that normal humanity can achieve. They are not difficult tasks for any adult, and are certainly not overwhelming. These problems are easily resolved. If you have higher standards for your quality of life, then you can do better. If you have less strict or lower expectations for your quality of life, then you can be more casual about it. These are all matters that do not involve principles.
Regarding the first major topic of how to pursue the truth—letting go of various negative emotions—let’s conclude our fellowship here, as it is basically finished. Next, in the process of pursuing the truth, apart from letting go of negative emotions, one should also let go of personal pursuits, ideals, and desires. This is the second major aspect of “letting go” in the practice of how to pursue the truth, which we will fellowship about today. Letting go of people’s pursuits, ideals, and desires—do you understand? (Yes, we understand.) Just now I mentioned the objects of this specific practice of “letting go,” and you have also taken note of them. Now, let’s examine the topic: What comes to mind when we talk about letting go of people’s pursuits, ideals, and desires? What examples can you think of? (I can think of the ideals people have, which God has fellowshipped about earlier, such as people with a particular talent, like acting, aspiring to become celebrities or superstars. Others who possess writing abilities and a bit of literary talent may aspire to perform text-based duties in God’s house and become writers. These are some ideals that emerge in people.) Anything else? (People pursue success as well as their own prospects and hopes, and desire to receive blessings.) Think further, what else? What should the emphasis be here? It is about the pursuits, ideals, and desires that people should let go of. In addition to people’s luxurious desires and the hopes they put toward their prospects and destiny, in the context of people’s real lives, in the necessary circumstances of human existence, what else is involved in the pursuits, ideals, and desires that people should let go of? What are some significant matters in life that can affect your faith in God and pursuit of the truth? (When people reach the age of marriage, they may be subject to the constraints of marriage. Also, when a person’s career conflicts with their faith in God, they may choose to pursue their own career. These are the two aspects that also need to be let go of.) Well said. Your faith in God during the past few years has given you results and an appreciation. You have correctly mentioned two significant aspects, marriage and career. These two major items are among the issues having to do with lifelong matters on the path of human life. Marriage is a significant matter for everyone, and a person’s career is also a major concern that is inescapable and unavoidable. Are there any other major matters besides these two? (There is also the aspect of dealing with family, parents and children. When these matters conflict with faith in God and the pursuit of the truth, it becomes difficult for people to let go.) When you create an outline, you shouldn’t use such long sentences. Earlier, we mentioned marriage and career. So, what should this topic be called? (Family.) That’s right, family is also a major aspect. Does this involve every individual? (Yes.) It involves every individual, and it is specific and representative enough. Marriage, family, and career are all major topics that involve the main theme of people’s pursuits, ideals, and desires. There are a total of four major topics related to letting go of people’s pursuits, ideals, and desires. You have correctly identified three of them, which is great. It seems that this topic requires detailed fellowshipping, it is a topic that is already present in your minds, and it is rather closely related to your lives or to your stature and experience. There is one more topic, which is actually quite simple. What is it? It is a person’s interests and hobbies. Isn’t that simple? (Yes.) Why do I say a person’s interests and hobbies? Take a closer look at the topic and see if interests and hobbies are related to the people’s pursuits, ideals, and desires that we need to discuss. (Yes.) Is marriage related to them? (Yes.) Is family related to them? (Yes.) Is career related to them? It is too. Each of these four aspects is related to a person’s pursuits, ideals, and desires. Each aspect involves imaginings and specific requirements about it deep within their heart, and the things one wishes to obtain in their flesh and feelings. Each aspect has specific elements and concrete pursuits, and it also involves the effort a person puts in and the price they pay for them. Each aspect involves and influences a person’s thoughts and views throughout their life and can affect their pursuit of correct goals. Of course, it also impacts how one views people and things and how they conduct themselves and act. If I were to speak in general terms, you might find it unclear and difficult to understand. So let’s fellowship about each aspect one by one, examine them carefully, and you might gradually gain a clear understanding of the issues. Once they become clear, people may seek here the principles they should implement and abide by.
First, let’s talk about interests and hobbies. Interests and hobbies of course do not involve what people occasionally do for fun, or their temporary pastimes or study interests—they have nothing to do with temporary things. Here, interests and hobbies refer to the genuine longing and pursuit that reside in a person’s spiritual being and deep within their soul. They will even take action and make plans for these things, and more so they will make concrete efforts and strive to satisfy or further develop these interests and hobbies, or in order to do work that aligns with their own interests and hobbies. In this context, interests and hobbies imply that individuals have set goals and ideals, and have even paid a price, expended energy, or taken specific actions. For example, they have gone and studied relevant knowledge for the sake of their interests and hobbies, spending the majority of their daily lives on the study of this knowledge, and obtaining practical experience in and hands-on appreciation for it. For instance, some people have the specific interest and hobby of painting, and these paintings aren’t as simple as just drawing portraits or landscapes. It goes beyond such simple interests and hobbies. They study various techniques of painting, such as sketching, landscapes, and portraits, and some even study oil and ink painting. Their reason for studying like this does not solely arise from their interests and hobbies, but rather from the ideals they have developed and established, and the desires they possess, because of their interest in painting. They even wish to dedicate their entire life’s energy to painting, become accomplished painters, and pursue painting as a profession. Before engaging in this profession, extensive preparation and planning are necessary, for example, attending specialized schools for further education and training, studying various aspects of painting, conducting on-site sketches, seeking guidance from experts and master artists, and participating in competitions, among other things. All these activities revolve around their pursuits, ideals, and desires. Of course, all these pursuits, ideals, and desires are based on their interests and hobbies. It is due to these interests and hobbies that they have developed their life’s pursuits, ideals, and desires. Some people have a strong passion for studying history, including ancient and modern, domestic and foreign history. As their interest grows stronger, they begin to see themselves as individuals with a talent in this field, and they feel compelled to pursue a career related to it. They continue to learn and further their education. During this process, of course, their pursuits, ideals, and desires continue to take shape and solidify, and they ultimately aspire to become historians. Before becoming a historian, most of their time and energy revolves around this interest and hobby. There are also some people who have a particular interest in economics, and enjoy working with numbers and studying things related to the field of economics. They hope one day to become outstanding or successful figures in the finance industry. In short, they also develop a pursuit based on their interest and hobby, and develop ideals and desires related to that interest and hobby. At the same time, they also invest their time, take action, pay the price, and expend energy to learn, research, further their education, and acquire comprehensive knowledge related to their interests and hobbies. Others have a passion for the arts, such as performing arts, dance, singing, or directing. After developing such interests and hobbies, under the impetus of these interests and hobbies, their ideals and desires gradually take shape and solidify. As their ideals and desires gradually become their life goals, they also dedicate their efforts, labor, and actions toward pursuing those goals. Some people are fond of working in the field of education. They study various aspects of education, such as psychology and other relevant knowledge, to pursue a career related to their interests and hobbies. Some people enjoy design, engineering, technology, electronics, or researching insects, microorganisms, and various animal behaviors, survival patterns, origins, and more. Some people enjoy media work and aspire to be employed by the media industry as hosts, anchors, reporters, and so on. Driven by their diverse interests and hobbies, people continue learning and exploring in-depth, and gradually gain understanding. Their pursuits, ideals, and desires deepen in their hearts and continue to take shape. Of course, during the process of their pursuits, ideals, and desires gradually taking shape, individuals also strive and move forward toward their ideals and desires. Every specific action they take invests their energy, time, youth, and even emotions and efforts into these things.
Regardless of which field or industry one’s interests and hobbies are in, no matter the category they involve, once they ignite a pursuit and establish corresponding ideals and desires, their life goals and direction also become fixed. When one’s ideals and desires become their life goals, their future path in this world is basically set. Why do I say it is set? What is the issue being addressed here? It is that once you have determined the ideals and desires arising from your interests and hobbies, you must also strive and struggle in that direction, even to the point of having an unwavering and resolute spirit and mindset, willing to pay a lifetime’s worth of energy, time, and price. Your life, destiny, prospects, and even your ultimate destination will inevitably be influenced by, if not tied up with, the life goals you have already established. What is the main point I want to emphasize here? Once a person establishes their pursuits, ideals, and desires based on a particular interest or hobby, they will no longer remain idle and do nothing. Because of specific interests and hobbies, concrete actions begin to take shape. Simultaneously, under the guidance of these specific actions, you will establish your ideals and desires. From then on, your heart will not stop, and your feet won’t stand still. You are destined to live your life for your ideals and desires. You will never simply settle for acquiring a little knowledge and calling it a day. Because you have such talents, and possess such potential and gifts, you will undoubtedly search for a position that suits you, or you will make relentless efforts to soar high and become extraordinary in this world and in the midst of the crowd, without any regrets. You will pursue your ideals and desires with a firm belief in victory, and even be willing to pay any price, and face any difficulties, dangers, and suffering in order to achieve them. Why are people able to do this? Why, after developing ideals and desires based on their interests and hobbies, can they behave in such a way? (They do it to realize their ideals, to pursue higher things, and to be a cut above the rest. Consequently, they do not retreat in the face of any difficulty but continue to pursue their ideals and desires.) There is an innate instinct in people. If they never know what their strengths are, what their interests and hobbies are, they feel that they don’t have a place, are unable to realize their own value, and have a sense of worthlessness. They are unable to demonstrate their value. However, once a person discovers their interests and hobbies, they will turn them into a bridge or a springboard to realize their self-worth. They are willing to pay the price to pursue their ideals, to live a more valuable life, to become a useful individual, to stand out in the crowd and be seen, to be admired and validated, and to become an extraordinary person. In this way, they can live a fulfilling life, have a successful career in this world, and have their ideals and desires fulfilled, thus living a valuable life. Looking around at the bustling crowds of people, there are only a few who are as naturally gifted as themselves, who have set lofty ideals and desires, and who ultimately have achieved these things through relentless efforts. They have built a career doing what they love, attained the fame, profit, and prestige they desired, demonstrated their value, and realized their self-worth. This is the pursuit of people. Each person, driven by their unique interests and hobbies, has their own pursuits, ideals, and desires. Of course, after setting their own pursuits, ideals, and desires, they may not be able to achieve these ideals and desires. However, once individuals establish their ideals and desires, once they have these pursuits, they will certainly not allow themselves to remain ordinary. As the saying goes, everyone likes to strut their stuff, they want others to think they are unique. No one is willing to be an ordinary person who says, “This is how my life will be. I could be a cattle herder, a farmer, an ordinary bricklayer, or a janitor. I could even be a delivery person or a takeout driver.” No one has that kind of ideal. Suppose you say, “Is it a kind of ideal to be a happy delivery person?” Everyone will respond, “No, that’s not an ideal at all! Becoming the owner of a delivery company, a world-renowned boss, that’s an ideal and a desire!” No one willingly accepts their role as an ordinary person. Once a person gets even the slightest whiff of an interest or hobby, if there is a one-in-a-million chance of becoming a prominent figure in society or achieving modest success, they will not give up. They will put in 120 percent and pay any price for it, right? (Yes.) People never give up.
Would you like to learn God’s words and rely on God to receive His blessing and solve the difficulties on your way? Click the button to contact us.
Related Content
The Word of God | "Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe: On the Life of Peter"
The Word of God | "Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe: On the Life of...