I

Pursuing the satisfaction of God is using your God-loving heart

to put His words into practice;

regardless of the time—

even when others are without strength—

inside of you there is still a God-loving heart,

and you yearn for and miss God from the depths of your heart.

This is real stature.

You yearn for and miss God from the depths of your heart.

This is real stature.

Just how great your stature is

depends on how much of a God-loving heart you possess,

on whether you're able to stand fast when you are tried,

whether you're weak when an environment comes upon you,

and whether you can stand your ground when your brothers and sisters reject you;

the arrival of the facts will show just what your God-loving heart is like.

II

It can be seen from much of God's work that God really does love man.

It is just that the eyes of man's spirit have yet to be completely opened

and he's unable to clearly see much of the work of God and His will,

nor the many things which are lovely about God;

man has too little true love for God.

You have believed in God throughout all this time,

and it is the harsh judgment and supreme salvation of God

that have led you onto the right path.

Only after experiencing hardship and refinement

does man know that God is lovely.

Having experienced up until today,

it can be said that man's come to know part of God's loveliness,

but this is still not enough, because man is so lacking.

Man must experience more of God's wondrous work,

and more of all the refinement of suffering arranged by God.

Only then can man's life disposition be changed.

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God