I

God is aware that your devotion

is but temporary, as is your sincerity.

Aren’t your resolve and the price you pay

only for the present and not the future?

You only want to use one final effort

to strive to secure a beautiful destination,

with the sole aim of making a trade.

You do not make this effort to avoid, avoid becoming indebted to the truth,

and less still for the sake of repaying God for the prices that He has paid.

In short, you only want to use clever stratagems to get what you want,

but not to do open battle for it.

Is this not your heartfelt wish?

You must not disguise yourselves,

nor rack your brains over your destination

to the point where you are unable to eat or sleep.

Won’t your outcome have been determined in the end?

You should each fulfill your duty with open and honest hearts,

and be willing to pay whatever price is necessary.

You should each fulfill your own duty with open and honest hearts,

and be willing to pay whatever price is necessary.

II

As you have said, when the day comes,

God will not be remiss toward anyone

who has suffered hardships or paid a price for Him.

This kind of conviction is worth holding on to,

and it is right that you should never forget it.

Only thus can God put His mind at ease about you.

Otherwise, you’ll forever be people

about whom God can’t put His mind at ease,

and you will forever be the objects of His distaste.

If you can follow your conscience and give your all for God,

sparing no effort for His work,

and dedicating the energy of a lifetime to His gospel work,

then won’t His heart often leap for joy on your account?

Then won’t His mind be wholly at ease over you?

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. On Destination