By Barbara, Myanmar

In 2022, I was elected to be a member of a district decision-making group, responsible for the work of several churches. Because I can speak Vietnamese and Chinese, I often helped brothers and sisters translate, and so I didn’t have a lot of time to follow up on the church’s work. I was very anxious. Some church leaders were just beginning to train and did not know how to do their work. If I did not cultivate church leaders as soon as possible, I would have to do most of the work myself, which would be very busy and tiring. I felt very resistant to this kind of environment. When anyone asked me to translate, I wanted to ignore them if it didn’t involve the work of the churches I was responsible for.

At the end of 2022, the positions of leader and deputy leader of the district decision-making group were up for election. I thought to myself, “I have enough to do with being responsible for the work of these churches. If I am elected as group leader, my scope of responsibility will be even larger, and so wouldn’t my work be even busier? If I am not elected, that would be good. That way, I don’t have to worry too much and my flesh won’t be so tired.” Therefore, I told the leaders that I didn’t want to run for election. However, when the votes were announced, I had been elected as the leader of the district decision-making group. I made excuses, saying, “I am a person who doesn’t bear a burden. I am lazy, and I don’t do real work. I am also quite deceitful.” I even gave examples of how I was deceitful. Then I said, “I am young and unstable, and not suited to being a group leader. Let another brother or sister do it.” A sister said, “You’ve already started compromising even before you’ve started doing your duty. You’re already being constrained and bound by the flesh.” I felt pierced to the heart when I heard the sister say this. After the gathering, I felt very distressed at heart. I knew that shirking one’s duties is rebelling against God, and not having a heart of submission to Him. Afterward, I reflected on myself. I thought of a passage of God’s words: “The most important manifestation of an honest person is seeking and practicing the truth in all matters—this is most crucial. You say that you are honest, but you always push God’s words to the back of your mind and just do whatever you want. Is that the manifestation of an honest person? You say, ‘Although my caliber is poor, I have an honest heart.’ And yet when a duty falls to you, you are afraid of suffering and bearing responsibility if you do not do it well, so you make excuses to shirk your duty or suggest that someone else do it. Is this the manifestation of an honest person? Clearly, it is not. How, then, should an honest person behave? They should submit to God’s arrangements, be loyal to the duty they are supposed to perform, and strive to satisfy God’s intentions. This manifests itself in several ways: One is accepting your duty with an honest heart, not considering your fleshly interests, not being half-hearted about it, and not plotting for your own benefit. Those are manifestations of honesty. Another is putting all your heart and strength into performing your duty well, doing things properly, and putting your heart and love into your duty to satisfy God. These are the manifestations an honest person should have while performing their duty. If you do not carry out what you know and understand, and if you only put in 50 or 60 percent of your effort, then you are not putting all your heart and strength into it. Rather, you are sly and slacking off. Are people who perform their duties in this way honest? Absolutely not. God has no use for such slippery and deceitful people; they must be eliminated. God only uses honest people to perform duties. Even loyal laborers must be honest. People who are perennially perfunctory and sly and looking for ways to slack off are all deceitful, and are all demons. None of them truly believe in God, and they shall all be eliminated. Some people think, ‘Being an honest person is just about telling the truth and not telling lies. It’s easy to be an honest person, really.’ What do you think of this sentiment? Is being an honest person so limited in scope? Absolutely not. You must reveal your heart and give it to God; this is the attitude an honest person ought to have. That is why an honest heart is very precious. What does this imply? That an honest heart can control your behavior and change your state. It can lead you to make the right choices, and to submit to God and gain His approval. A heart like this is truly precious. If you have an honest heart like this, then that is the state you should live in, that is how you should behave, and that is how you should give of yourself” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Part Three). From God’s words, I saw that no matter what duty calls on an honest person, whether it is beneficial to them or not, or however much their flesh will suffer, they will accept it with an honest heart. Then, they will give their all to do everything that they can without considering their own interests, only thinking about how to satisfy God. Only this type of person is an honest person loved by God. I wanted to escape and take myself out of the election because I didn’t want to suffer or pay a price. After I was elected as group leader, I didn’t feel like doing it because I knew this was a very important duty and I would be responsible for a lot of tasks, and that in order to do it well, my flesh would suffer a lot and I would have to worry a lot. I then thought of ways to shirk it. I even used my youth, lack of stability, and deceitful disposition as excuses, saying that I was unsuited to being a group leader. The house of God had cultivated me for such a long time, but at the critical moment I shirked my duty. I lacked the tiniest scrap of conscience or reason. I truly was so selfish and deceitful! As a created being, I didn’t even want to do the duty I should do. What’s the meaning of living like that? At this time, I thought of some lines from a hymn: “People do not even give God the slightest bit of comfort, and He has still not received true love from humanity to this day.” My tears flowed down, and I looked up the hymn.

God’s Love for Mankind Is True and Real

1  God’s love for humankind is mainly manifested in the work He does in the flesh, in personally saving people, speaking face-to-face with people, and living face-to-face with them. There isn’t the slightest distance, and there is no pretense; it is real. That His salvation of humanity was such that He was able to become flesh and spend painful years with humans in the world is all because of His love and mercy for humanity.

2  God’s love for humanity is unconditional and makes no demands. What can He receive from them in return? People are cold toward God. Who can treat God as God? People do not even give God the slightest bit of comfort, and He has still not received true love from humanity to this day. God keeps selflessly giving and selflessly providing.

—The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Do You Know God’s Love for Mankind?

After listening to the hymn, I felt very moved and quite guilty. I couldn’t stop myself from crying. God’s love is so true and real. God is so supreme, holy, and great, yet in order to save mankind, He personally became flesh to come to the human world, live alongside corrupt mankind, express the truth to provide for and lead people, and set up various environments to refine and cleanse people. God is wholehearted toward man. However, I was unwilling to bear a heavy burden in doing my duty, and was unwilling to pay even a small price or suffer even the tiniest bit. I felt so indebted to God. God had given me so much, but I didn’t show consideration for His intention, and only considered my own interests, shirking my duty out of worry that my flesh would suffer. I truly was absolutely lacking in conscience!

I read another passage of God’s words: “Whatever sort of duty you perform and whatever sort of commission you accept from God, His requirements of you don’t change. Once you have understood God’s requirements, you are to practice, perform your duty, and accomplish God’s commission of you according to His requirements as you understand them, regardless of whether He is beside you or scrutinizing you. It is only in this way that you may truly become a master of all things in whom God is assured, and who is up to standard, and who is worthy of His commission. … Just focus on God’s words and requirements, and come to pursue the truth, do your duty well, satisfy God’s intentions, and avoid disappointing God’s six thousand years of waiting, and His six thousand years of anticipation. Give God some comfort; let Him see hope in you, and let His wishes be realized in you. Tell Me, would God treat you unjustly if you did so? Of course not!” (The Word, Vol. 6. On the Pursuit of the Truth. Why Man Must Pursue the Truth). From God’s words, I profoundly felt how God’s intention is for us to pursue the truth, do our duties well, and submit to God, becoming true created beings and being able to entrust our hearts to God and be of one mind with God. This is what God most desires to see. When I was elected as the district decision-making group leader, God’s intention was for me to seek the truth while doing my duty, and to practice fellowshipping on the truth to resolve problems. In addition, I would learn to take the work to heart and shoulder its responsibilities, ultimately being able to do my duty well, obtain the truth, and be saved by God. When I understood this, I felt deep self-reproach. I regretted not cherishing the opportunity God had given me and failing to accept my duty. How I hoped that God would give me another chance! I resolved that if I had another chance, I would definitely submit, and would never rebel against God in this way again. Therefore, I prayed to God, “Dear God, I am willing to submit to all Your arrangements. In the future, I am willing to accept any duty and do it well.” Later, the upper leaders didn’t agree to my resignation and had me continue to be group leader. When I saw this result, I was extremely happy. God had known my heart and given me another chance—I had to cherish it! Afterward, I started to actively follow up on the work, and every night after gatherings had finished, I would summarize the problems in the work with my brothers and sisters in the decision-making group. Although there was a lot of work sometimes, and my flesh was a little tired, I did not shirk my duty like I had done before.

In 2023, elections for leaders and deacons were being held due to some churches being reorganized, and my workload increased a lot. I had to handle all these tasks in person, and I was busy until very late each day. During that time, I just felt like it was too much trouble and too tiring. Soon after, the church held a new round of elections, and I wanted to take this opportunity to give up my position in the district decision-making group and do a lighter duty instead. At this time, I realized that I wanted to consider my flesh again, and I called on God in my heart, “Dear God, may You lead me so I am able to practice the truth.” At that time, two hymns of God’s words came to my mind.

God Treasures Those Who Listen to and Submit to Him

To God, no matter whether a person is great or insignificant, as long as they can listen to Him, submit to His instructions and what He entrusts, and can cooperate with His work, His will, and His plan, so that His will and His plan can be fulfilled smoothly, then that conduct is worthy of His remembrance and of receiving His blessing. God treasures such people; He cherishes their actions, and He cherishes this sincerity and this heart they show toward Him. This is God’s attitude.

—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I

What God Cares About Is Man’s Heart

When a person accepts what God entrusts to them, God has a standard for judging whether their actions are good or bad and whether the person has submitted, and whether the person has satisfied God’s intentions and whether what they do is up to standard. What God cares about is the person’s heart, not their actions on the surface. It is not the case that God should bless someone as long as they do something, regardless of how they do it. This is a misunderstanding people have about God. God looks not just at the end result of things, but places more emphasis on how a person’s heart is and how a person’s attitude is during the development of things, and He looks at whether there is submission, consideration, and the desire to satisfy God in their heart.

—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I

God’s words really moved me, especially when I read: “God looks not just at the end result of things, but places more emphasis on how a person’s heart is and how a person’s attitude is during the development of things, and He looks at whether there is submission, consideration, and the desire to satisfy God in their heart.” I understood that what God cares about is the human heart. When every single thing happens, what God wants to see is whether people’s hearts are submissive and considerate toward God, and whether they can let go of their own interests in order to satisfy God. Whenever important work came upon me, or I faced elections, I didn’t think about how to satisfy God’s intentions, only about how to shirk, how to avoid suffering of the flesh, and how to take on less responsibility. I was so lacking in conscience. So selfish and despicable! Now the church was holding new elections, and I had to at least have a submissive attitude. If I were elected, this would be God’s exaltation of me. If I were not elected, there would be lessons for me to learn. In any case, I should submit. When I thought this, my heart quieted a lot, and I participated in the election. In the end, I was elected as a member of the district decision-making group, and my heart was able to submit.

Later, I read a passage of God’s words, and understood why I constantly showed consideration for the flesh and shirked my duty. Almighty God says: “With regard to the flesh, the better you are toward it, the greedier it will be. It is suited to enduring a little suffering. People who endure a little suffering will walk the correct path and engage in proper work. If the flesh does not endure suffering, craves comfort, and grows up in a nest of comfort, then people will not achieve anything and cannot possibly obtain the truth. If people encounter natural calamities and man-made disasters, they will be devoid of sense and will be unreasonable. As time goes on, they will only become more and more depraved. Are there many examples of this? You can see that among the nonbelievers, there are many singers and movie stars who were quite willing to endure hardship and dedicated themselves to their work before they became famous. But once they gain fame and start making big money, they don’t walk the correct path. Some of them take drugs, some of them commit suicide, and their lives are shortened. What causes this? Their material pleasures are too excessive, they are too comfortable, and they don’t know how to obtain greater enjoyment or greater excitement. Some of them turn to drugs in search of higher excitement and pleasure, and, as time goes by, they cannot give it up. Some die from excessive drug use, and others, not knowing how to free themselves of it, simply commit suicide in the end. There are so many examples like this. No matter how well you eat, how well you dress, how well you live, how much you enjoy yourself, or how comfortable your life is, and no matter how fully your desires are satisfied, in the end it is emptiness on top of emptiness, and the result is destruction. Is that happiness which the nonbelievers seek real happiness? Actually, that is not happiness. It is human imagining, it is a form of depravity, it is a path by which people become depraved. The so-called happiness that people pursue is false. It is actually suffering. That is not a goal that people should pursue, neither is it where the value of living is. Some of the ways and methods by which Satan corrupts people are making them seek satisfaction of the flesh and indulgence in lust as a goal. By this way, Satan numbs people, entices people, and corrupts people, making them feel as if that is happiness, and leading them to chase after that goal. People believe that obtaining those things is obtaining happiness, so people do all in their power to head in pursuit of that goal. Then, after they do obtain it, it is not happiness they feel but rather emptiness and pain. This proves that that is not the correct path; it is a road to death” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Part Three). From God’s words I understood that the reason I constantly coveted comfort was that my corrupt dispositions were too serious. I had been profoundly influenced and conditioned by society and my family, and believed that pursuing fleshly comforts was treating myself well. I often heard people say, “People should live for themselves, to make their flesh comfortable and at ease. They should not live for others. That’s how to be smart.” My parents also often said, “No matter what we do, it’s to enjoy a comfortable life without suffering or fatigue. Isn’t the purpose of living to enjoy life?” Slowly, I accepted these mistaken views. They became the principles by which I acted and the aims of my pursuit. When I was in school, I only wanted to study simple things. I didn’t want to study anything that required brainpower. For example, I was very reluctant to learn subjects like mathematics, which I found mentally challenging. After I started to believe in God, although I did my duties in the church, I still pursued fleshly comforts. I was unwilling to bear a heavy burden in doing my duty, and didn’t want to do duties that involved mental effort or fleshly suffering. I only wanted to do easy and light duties. As soon as difficult duties or those that involved a heavy workload were called for, I wanted to shirk them. For example, the first time I was elected as district decision-making group leader, I found many excuses, and deliberately mentioned my corruption and deficiencies so that I wouldn’t be elected as group leader, because I was afraid that being the group leader would be a lot of work and therefore tiring for my flesh. At the next election, I still considered my flesh. I thought that if I was elected as group leader again, I would have to continue to be responsible for the overall work of the district, and it would be easier to just be a member of the decision-making group. I only thought about my own fleshly interests, never showed consideration for God’s intentions, and constantly shirked my duty so that my flesh would not suffer. This behavior was rebelling against God and betraying God. If I didn’t repent and continued to live by these satanic thoughts and ideas, ultimately, not only would I not gain the truth or change my corrupt dispositions, I would also fall into calamity and be destroyed. As God said: “Some of the ways and methods by which Satan corrupts people are making them seek satisfaction of the flesh and indulgence in lust as a goal. By this way, Satan numbs people, entices people, and corrupts people, making them feel as if that is happiness, and leading them to chase after that goal. People believe that obtaining those things is obtaining happiness, so people do all in their power to head in pursuit of that goal. Then, after they do obtain it, it is not happiness they feel but rather emptiness and pain. This proves that that is not the correct path; it is a road to death.” Satan tempts and corrupts people with the pursuit of fleshly comforts, making them believe that only satisfying the flesh can bring happiness. Actually, no matter how comfortable a person is or how they enjoy the flesh, the depths of their hearts are still empty and miserable. I had always pursued fleshly comforts, and didn’t want to do duties that involved a heavy workload. I thought that this way my flesh would be a bit more comfortable, and I would have more time to rest or do things I enjoy. However, after I declined the duty of group leader, my heart was not at ease, and instead, I fell into deep misery and self-blame. This feeling cannot be described in words. I knew that because I had rebelled against God, I had lost His presence. I experienced that pursuing fleshly comforts is not a correct path, and it will only lead people to be more and more depraved, and resist God more and more.

In April 2024, due to the needs of the work, a preacher in my area of responsibility was transferred to another place to do her duties. I had to follow up on the work she had been responsible for temporarily, and I was a little worried. There was so much work to do—it was going to be so tiring! At this time, I realized that I wanted to show consideration for my flesh again, and I silently prayed to God, that He may lead me to be able to submit. Later, I read a passage of God’s words and found a path of practice. Almighty God says: “Every adult must shoulder an adult’s responsibilities, regardless of how much pressure they face, such as hardships, illnesses, and even various difficulties—these are things that everyone should experience and bear. They are a part of a normal person’s life. If you cannot bear pressure or endure suffering, it means that you are too fragile and useless. Whoever lives must bear this suffering, and no one can avoid it. Whether in society or in God’s house, it is the same for everyone. This is the responsibility you should bear, the heavy burden that an adult should carry, the thing that they should shoulder, and you should not evade it. If you always try to escape or cast off all of this, then your repressive emotions will come out, and you will always be entangled by them. However, if you can properly comprehend and accept all of this, and view it as a necessary part of your life and existence, then these issues should not be a reason for you to develop negative emotions. In one respect, you must learn to shoulder the responsibilities and obligations that adults ought to have and undertake. In another respect, you should learn to coexist harmoniously with others in your living and working environment with normal humanity. Do not simply do what you please. What is the purpose of harmonious coexistence? It is to better complete the work and to better fulfill the obligations and responsibilities that you, as an adult, ought to complete and fulfill, to minimize the losses caused by the problems you face in your work, and to maximize the results and efficiency of your work. This is what you ought to achieve. If you possess normal humanity, you should accomplish this when working among people. As for work pressure, whether it comes from the Above or from God’s house, or if it is pressure put upon you by your brothers and sisters, it is something that you should bear. You cannot say, ‘This is too much pressure, so I won’t do it. I am just seeking leisure, ease, happiness, and comfort in doing my duty and working in God’s house.’ This will not work; it is not a thought that a normal adult should possess, and God’s house is not a place for you to indulge in comfort. Every person takes on a certain amount of pressure and risk in their life and work. In any job, especially performing your duty in God’s house, you should strive for optimal results. On a greater level, this is the teaching and demand of God. On a smaller level, it is the attitude, viewpoint, standard, and principle that every person should adopt in their comportment and actions. When you perform a duty in God’s house, you must learn to abide by the regulations and systems of God’s house, you must learn to comply, learn the rules, and comport yourself in a well-behaved manner. This is an essential part of one’s comportment” (The Word, Vol. 6. On the Pursuit of the Truth. How to Pursue the Truth (5)). After reading the words of God, I understood that as adults, we all have our own responsibilities and obligations, whether in God’s house or in the nonbelieving world. This is what a normal person should take on. In the process of doing one’s duty, though the flesh has to suffer, pay a price, and endure some pressure, all these are the responsibilities that adults have to shoulder. I cannot be afraid of suffering, nor can I shirk duties when I see that they are difficult. Doing that is just too lacking in conscience and humanity. Therefore, I consciously prayed to God to rebel against the flesh, and I was slowly able to submit to this environment.

Through this experience, I understood that although my flesh suffers and feels tired when taking on work in the church, I gain a lot. I realized that when things come upon me, I must seek the truth principles, and my humanity also matured a lot, from always relying on others at the beginning to now having learned to work independently. When brothers and sisters have difficulties or notions, I can also find relevant truths to fellowship about and resolve them. Although my workload is heavier than before, I have obtained and gained more as well. This is all a special grace from God. Thank God!