By Ye Qiu, the United Kingdom

I was born in a small town in Southern China. My father was a well-known doctor in the area, and our family was fairly well off. From a young age, I enjoyed a higher standard of living than my peers, which gave me a sense of superiority. Ever since I can remember, my father often taught me, “One must endure the greatest hardships in order to become the greatest of men.” I listened to my father’s story of his journey from the countryside to establishing himself in the town, saw there were always people visiting our home to curry favor with my father, and watched as people admired and warmly welcomed my father wherever he went. In my youthful ignorance, I gradually came to understand the significance of rising above others, and I resolved to become a person of status whom others would admire and look up to. But when I was 12, my father was imprisoned due to alleged illegal business dealings, and our once-bustling home suddenly became desolate. My mother, my sister, and I were left to rely on each other. Those people who had once been warm to us were nowhere to be seen. Especially after seeing the hardship my mother endured going around borrowing money, I felt waves of desolation, and I resolved to study diligently and to stand out, so that I’d be able to live an enviable and admired life as someone above others, and to regain our dignity. My hard work paid off, and I finally got into university. But I still didn’t dare ease up. My father’s words, “One must endure the greatest hardships in order to become the greatest of men,” kept motivating me. I believed if I kept working hard, one day I would achieve success and attain both fame and gain.

After graduating from university in 2006, I came to Shanghai alone and began working in sales at a company. To secure more orders, I traveled to other cities regularly to visit clients. Because of motion sickness, traveling to different cities exhausted me, and after getting off the bus, I still had to muster all my energy to meet with clients. Besides enduring physical pain, the daily dealings with colleagues and clients left me even more exhausted. To secure clients’ orders, I even bought Thick Black Theory and The Way of the Wolf. From these books, I learned many hidden industry rules and ways of worldly dealings. Later, at work, internally, I competed with colleagues both openly and behind the scenes to outperform them. Externally, I not only flattered clients, but I also gave them kickbacks and engaged in under-the-table deals. At first, I was uneasy about these things—if they were exposed, not only would it damage the company’s reputation, but it could also land me in jail, so I was on edge every day. When the pressure got to be too much, I’d often be woken by nightmares in the middle of the night. I lived in constant fear and unease every day. Sometimes, late at night, when everything was quiet, I would think, “The pressure in sales is too much; maybe I should change careers.” But then I’d think to myself, “One must endure the greatest hardships in order to become the greatest of men.” And I’d encourage myself, “If I want to succeed, I must endure these pains; otherwise, when can I achieve success and renown in this metropolis full of talented people?” So I persevered. Two years later, I soared from a rookie in the workplace to the sales champion of my team. I was not only valued by my leaders and envied by my colleagues, but my salary was also becoming increasingly generous, and I was finally living the life of a white-collar worker as I had wished. My mother happily told me, “My darling, our hard days are finally over. Now that you’ve proven yourself, we won’t have to fear being bullied anymore. I feel like I can hold my head high. You’ve got to keep working hard!” I secretly told myself, “I’ve not only got to buy a house and a car in Shanghai, but I must also become an industry leader so that I can live a respectable life for a long time.” In 2008, not long after getting married, my parents-in-law preached to me the gospel of Almighty God in the last days. After reading God’s words, I was deeply moved by God’s three-stage work of saving humanity. Especially after I saw that the words expressed by Almighty God are the truth, and that they have revealed many mysteries that humanity did not know, I was deeply drawn to Almighty God’s words, and together with my husband, we accepted the gospel. After finding God, we gathered together, read God’s words, and sang hymns to praise God. Brothers and sisters also shared their experiential understanding with us. I saw how each of them was so pure and simple, completely different from the people I interacted with at work. There was no fawning or backstabbing among them, and they spoke what was in their hearts. I was happy to interact with them, and also to gather and fellowship God’s words.

In June 2008, my husband and I took out a loan to buy a house, and my colleagues, classmates, and family members all looked at us with envy. Especially when our neighbors found out we were outsiders who had bought a house after only two years, they admired and praised us even more. I felt so pleased inside, thinking that I was getting closer to the life of superiority I had always dreamed of. Later, I got promoted, my title on my business card changed to Sales Manager, and my office moved from a small corner to a more prominent, independent space. Colleagues would nod and greet me with respect, and clients also addressed me as Manager Ye. I walked with my back straight, I suddenly felt that I was different from everyone else, and I really enjoyed this feeling of superiority. At that time, except for when I was attending gatherings, I spent almost all my time working. I’d be thinking about earning money quickly to pay off the loan, so I could buy a bigger house and bring my mother to live with us, thereby allowing her to enjoy this life of superiority with us. As the company grew larger, the rules and regulations became stricter and more complicated, and as Sales Manager, I had to participate in and carry out the company’s various evaluation activities. In this situation, I was caught in a dilemma: If I did my job well at the company, it would hinder my church life, but if I led a church life, my work would suffer, and if I didn’t do my job well, the superior life I had now would be sure to vanish. At first, I could keep going to gatherings, but one day, I heard from my colleagues that my subordinates were privately discussing how I left work on time every day, without the air of a leader. They also said that I must have used some tricks to please the superiors and get this position. Hearing these comments, I felt very distressed and uneasy, thinking, “The market competition is so fierce now. If I don’t work harder to maintain this position, someone might replace me one day, and this prestigious, respected, and enviable job and life that I’ve struggled so hard to achieve will all be lost. No, it seems I’ll need to take some practical actions.” After that, I started shortening my morning devotionals, and sometimes I didn’t even have time for devotionals and would just hurry to work. After work, if there was no gathering, I’d try to stay at the company and work overtime. Besides that, I would try to attend every meal meeting with superiors and clients, and I’d force a smile while with them. In truth, I knew that what I was doing didn’t align with God’s intention, and I felt disgusted with myself for flattering others like this, but when I thought about how this was the only way to stabilize my position, I could only keep at it.

During that time, I almost always arrived at the gatherings right at the last minute, and there were even times when I couldn’t attend gatherings because of multi-day business trips. Every time the brothers and sisters asked about my state, I felt a sense of guilt, but there was nothing I could do. This long-term irregular routine and mental pressure caused my health to deteriorate. At first, it was just hair loss, but later I kept gaining weight, and my lower legs became covered with purple spots. After going to the hospital for an examination, I was diagnosed with high cholesterol and allergic purpura. The doctor said my illness was closely related to my profession, and that the immense work pressure and irregular routine disrupted my immune system, and especially the frequent business entertainment and unhealthy diet had led to metabolic dysfunction. They said if I continued living this lifestyle and remained in this mental state, it would only worsen the condition, lead to cardiovascular diseases, and even threaten my life. I worried about my health, but I felt helpless, thinking, “In today’s society, to rise above others, one must pay a price; there’s gain but also loss. If one day I have no pressure and don’t need to attend work functions, then I definitely won’t be a superior anymore. I’m still young, my body can handle it, and I’ll get through this phase first.”

One day in April 2009, a church leader asked me, “Are you willing to do the duty of watering newcomers?” I thought about how doing one’s duty is the responsibility of every created being, and through duties, one can understand more truths, so I happily agreed. But when I found out that there would be a gathering almost every night, I hesitated, “The company is constantly evaluating the number of client visits, and I’m also responsible for guiding the department’s sales. If I have gatherings every day, how will I do my work? If I don’t manage the team well and fail to meet the sales targets, then I definitely won’t be able to continue as the sales manager. Then won’t the manager position and the stable, comfortable life I’ve worked so hard to attain just disappear? Won’t it become even harder to get ahead in the future?” Thinking of this, I said to my sister, “I need to think about this some more.” Over the next few days, I kept pondering the matter. I couldn’t sleep well at night, and I felt conflicted and troubled.

During a gathering, I shared my distress with the brothers and sisters, and we read God’s words: “Born into such a filthy land, man has been infected by society to a severe extent, he has been influenced by feudal ethics, and he has been taught at ‘institutes of higher learning.’ The backward thinking, corrupt morality, mean view on life, despicable philosophy for worldly dealings, utterly worthless existence, and depraved lifestyle and customs—all of these things have severely intruded upon man’s heart, and severely undermined and attacked his conscience. As a result, man is ever more distant from God, and ever more opposed to Him. Man’s disposition becomes more vicious by the day, and there is not a single person who will willingly give up anything for God, not a single person who will willingly submit to God, nor, moreover, a single person who will willingly seek the appearance of God. Instead, under the power of Satan, man does nothing but pursue pleasure, giving himself over to the corruption of the flesh in the land of mud. Even when they hear the truth, those who live in darkness give no thought to putting it into practice, nor are they inclined to seek out God even if they have beheld His appearance. How could a mankind so depraved have any chance of salvation? How could a mankind so decadent live in the light?” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God). “For tens, thousands, tens of thousands of years until now, people have been squandering their time in this way, with no one creating a perfect life, all intent only on mutual slaughter in this dark world, on the race for fame and fortune, and on intriguing against one another. Who has ever sought after God’s intentions? Has anyone ever heeded the work of God? All the parts of humanity occupied by the influence of darkness have long since become human nature, and so it is quite difficult to carry out the work of God, and people have even less heart to pay attention to what God has entrusted to them today” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Work and Entry (3)). After reading God’s words, I fell into deep thought. Looking back, I’d been influenced since childhood by the ideas “Aim to stand out and excel,” “Man struggles upward; water flows downward,” and “One must endure the greatest hardships in order to become the greatest of men.” I’d resolved to stand out, make a name for myself, and live a life of superiority after growing up. To achieve this, I studied late into the night during my student years, and after entering the workforce, I compromised my principles to gain a foothold, resorting to under-the-table deals with clients to win orders. I was constantly worried about my actions being exposed and falling from grace, and the immense pressure took a toll on my body and mind. When I obtained the high salary and title I’d always dreamed of, and I earned the admiration and envy of those around me, to solidify my position, I continued scheming and vying with my colleagues, flattering clients and superiors, and immersing myself in various work functions every day. Long periods of an irregular routine and an unhealthy lifestyle caused my body to display warning signs. But for the sake of fame and gain, I dared not stop. Even though I knew the admiration and flattery of others were full of falsehoods, and even though I knew that God disliked my deceitful actions and lies, I couldn’t let go of my pursuit of fame and gain. Even if it meant sacrificing my health, missing gatherings, and hindering my life growth, I preferred to carefully maintain all my fame and gain, causing me to live every day in pain and torment. I then pondered, “What good is having a high position or more wealth?” I thought about celebrities, rich people, and acquaintances of mine, who, after attaining fame, gain and status, sought excitement because of inner emptiness. Some knowingly violated the law and were imprisoned, some violated moral laws, leading to broken families and ruined reputations, and some even found themselves with no path left but suicide. My father was a living example of this. He once had boundless glory, and was widely praised and admired by others, but his greed led him to follow evil trends, and eventually, he broke the law in his business dealings and was imprisoned. At this moment, I realized that though I appeared to believe in God, I was actually still under Satan’s control. Satan was using fame and gain to lure and torment me, causing me to live without integrity and dignity or even the most basic level of conscience. I realized that pursuing fame, gain, and status would only lead me to be lost, to fall into depravity, and to eventually leave and betray God, and lose my chance at salvation.

Later, I read more of God’s words: “You are in the same circumstances as I, yet you are covered with filth; you do not even contain the smallest bit of the original likeness of the humans who were created in the beginning. Moreover, because every day you imitate the likenesses of those unclean spirits, doing what they do and saying what they say, all parts of you—even your tongues and lips—are soaked in their foul water, to the point that you are entirely covered with such stains, and not a single part of you can be used for My work. It is so heartbreaking! You live in such a world of horses and cattle, yet you actually do not feel troubled; you are full of joy and live freely and easily. You are swimming around in that foul water, yet you do not actually realize that you have fallen into such a predicament. Every day, you consort with unclean spirits and interact with ‘excrement.’ Your lives are quite vulgar, yet you are not actually aware that you absolutely do not exist in the human world and that you are not in control of yourself. Do you not know that your life was long ago trampled by those unclean spirits, or that your character was long ago sullied by foul water? Do you think you are living in an earthly paradise, and that you are in the midst of happiness? Do you not know that you have lived a life alongside unclean spirits, and that you have coexisted with everything that they have prepared for you? How could the way you live have any meaning? How could your life have any value?” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. You Are All So Base in Character!). After reading God’s words, I realized that those who use any means to pursue fame, gain, and status are wicked and filthy in God’s eyes, and they are irredeemable. I thought about the celebrities, politicians, and business elites of the world. Most of them possess superior social skills and have slippery ways of conducting themselves. Although they appear glamorous and enviable, the things they do are corrupt, degenerate, treacherous, and wicked, and they are the kind of people God exposes as unclean spirits. I thought about how, over the years, I’d learned various social tactics in the workplace to attain fame, gain, and status—whether this was with under-the-table deals and bribing clients, or flattery and ingratiating myself with clients and leaders—these were all deceitful means, and they were tricks to deceive and manipulate people. Had I not learned to do unrighteous things like those unclean spirits? How was there any difference between my actions and those of these unclean spirits? Realizing this, I was filled with fear and terror. God is a God who abhors evil, and His kingdom does not allow impurity. If I didn’t repent and remained trapped in this vortex of fame, gain, and status, then no matter how high a position or how great material pleasures I may gain, I would still be cursed by God, and I would ultimately completely lose my chance at salvation.

Later, I read God’s words: “My mercy is expressed toward those who love Me and let go of themselves. The punishment visited upon the evil, meanwhile, is precisely proof of My righteous disposition and, even more, testimony to My wrath. When disaster comes, all who oppose Me will weep as they fall victim to famine and plague. Those who have committed all manner of evil deeds, but who have followed Me for many years, will not escape paying for their sins; they too, will be plunged into disaster, the like of which has seldom been seen throughout millions of years, and they will live in a constant state of panic and fear. And those of My followers who have shown loyalty to Me will rejoice and applaud My might. They will experience ineffable contentment and live amid joy such as I have never before bestowed upon mankind. For I treasure the good deeds of man and abhor their evil deeds. Since I first began to lead mankind, I have been eagerly hoping to gain a group of people who are of the same mind with Me. Those who are not of the same mind with Me, meanwhile, I never forget; I always loathe them in My heart, awaiting the chance to make them answer for their evil deeds, which is something I shall relish to see. Now My day has finally come, and I need no longer wait!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination). God’s words made me understand that those who can finally gain God’s blessings are the ones who gain the truth and are of one heart and mind with God. The opportunity God gave me today to do my duty was to allow me to gain the truth, seek to know God, and ultimately gain God’s salvation. If I only focused on pursuing fame and gain, and didn’t focus on pursuing the truth and fulfilling my duties to prepare good deeds, I would miss my chance at salvation. At this point, I finally understood God’s intention, and I realized that this opportunity to do my duty was God saving me, helping me escape from the quagmire of fame, gain, and status. I thanked God for His enlightenment, and my heart became much lighter. So I prayed to God, “Oh God, thank You for the enlightenment of Your words. I will no longer consider the difficulties of work, nor the gains or losses of status. I am willing to submit to Your arrangements and do my duty.” Later, I accepted the duty of watering newcomers. During the day, I worked at the company, and after work, I would gather with brothers and sisters to fellowship God’s words, and I pretty much stopped participating in the company’s social events. Although my duty was a bit hard and tiring, my heart was at ease and joyful. What I didn’t expect was that for several months in a row, not only did my team’s performance meet the targets, but the clients I maintained only through phone communication also signed several orders, and my superior even praised me by name in a company meeting. I was very excited and happy, and I saw God’s hand orchestrating and holding sovereignty over all these things.

On November 14, 2009, I was elected as a church leader. I knew this was a great opportunity to understand and enter the truth realities, and that I couldn’t let God down. The duty of a leader was very busy, and to do it well, I couldn’t work at the same time, so I knew it was time for me to resign. Just when I mustered up the courage to resign, the company issued a notice, saying they could handle local residence permits for us senior employees, and in my case, I’d be able to directly apply for local household registration. Seeing this benefit, I was a bit shaken. I thought, “Having local household registration is something that many outsiders dream of! Not only would I enjoy a better life and social security benefits, but my social status would also improve, and I’d gain respect from more people. This is a rare and hard-to-come-by opportunity! If I resign, I’ll never have such a good opportunity ever again. Maybe I should wait until my household registration is processed and then resign?” But then I thought about God’s urgent intention to save people, and realized that if I continued to plan for fame, gain, and status, I would be letting God down. After returning home, I prayed to God, asking Him to guide me to understand His intention and make the right choice.

I read God’s words: “As members of the human race and devout Christians, it is the responsibility and obligation of us all to offer up our minds and bodies for the fulfillment of God’s commission, for our entire being came from God, and it exists thanks to the sovereignty of God. If our minds and bodies are not dedicated to God’s commission and the just cause of mankind, then our souls will feel ashamed before those who were martyred for God’s commission, and much more ashamed before God, who has provided us with everything” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 2: God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind). “If you can devote your heart, body, and all of your genuine love to God, place them before Him, be completely submissive toward Him, and be absolutely considerate of His intentions—not for the flesh, not for family, and not for your own personal desires, but for the interests of God’s household, taking God’s word as the principle and foundation in everything—then by doing so, your intentions and your perspectives will all be in the right place, and you will then be a person before God who receives His praise” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality). “What I ask of you is still that you offer up your whole being to all My work, and, furthermore, that you clearly discern and make certain of all the work I have done in you, and put all your strength into My work so it can become more effective. This is what you must understand. Desist from fighting amongst yourselves, looking for a way back, or seeking fleshly comforts, which would delay My work, and delay your wonderful future. Far from protecting you, doing so would bring destruction upon you. Wouldn’t this be foolish of you?” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. The Work of Spreading the Gospel Is Also the Work of Saving Man). After reading God’s words, it was as if I heard God’s call. God hopes that we can devote all our energy to pursuing the truth and doing our duties, and He expects us to seek to live out a meaningful life. If I quit my job, perhaps my material conditions would not be as good as before and my social status might not be as high, but I could live in God’s house, enjoying the watering and nourishment of His words every day, and I could cooperate with brothers and sisters as we do our duties and pursue the truth with them. Through my duties, I could understand the truth, cast off Satan’s corrupt disposition, and receive God’s salvation. This is the right path in life, and the most meaningful life. At that moment, I felt as though God was waiting for my choice, my answer. My heart was deeply moved by God’s words, and I felt a resolve to willingly give up everything to satisfy God. I came before God and prayed, “God, I see that I have no truth, and that You have no place in my heart. In order to get local household registration, I almost fell into the trap of fame, gain, and status again. Thank You for Your words having protected me, allowing me to understand that the duty entrusted to me is Your love upon me, and realize that pursuing the truth and fulfilling my duty is the most meaningful. I want to give You a satisfactory answer.” And so, I submitted my resignation to the company. The company leadership kept trying to persuade me to stay, but I never wavered. Thanks to God’s protection, I was able to overcome temptation. The moment I left the company, I looked at the blue sky and the lush trees, and I felt an indescribable joy. I felt like a little bird flying out of its cage, soaring freely back into the sky, and I sang my favorite hymn of God’s words “With the Truth There Is Strength”: “When people have the correct life goals, are able to pursue the truth, and comport themselves according to the truth, when they submit absolutely to God and live by His words, when they feel grounded and illuminated to the depths of their hearts, when their hearts are free of darkness, and when they can live entirely free and unrestrained in God’s presence, only then do they lead genuine human lives, and only then have they become those who possess the truth and humanity. All the truths that you have understood and gained have come from God’s words and from God Himself. Only when you gain the approval of God Most High—the Creator, and He says that you are a qualified created being who lives out a human likeness, will your life be most meaningful” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. How to Know Man’s Nature). Only by believing in and worshiping God, pursuing the truth, escaping from Satan’s dark influence, and living according to God’s words, can we live a most valuable life, and only then can our hearts find true peace and ease. It was God’s words that led me to make the right choice. Thank Almighty God!