By He Le
Practicing the Truth in the Face of Temptations and Leaving My Old Life Behind
A distributor came to my store one day and said he would get me distribution rights so that we could work together, and his terms were really enticing. After hearing what he had to say I felt a bit hesitant; I was the only one with distributor rights throughout the entire county seat and I was making a nice profit, and if I were to work with him I would certainly earn more money. However, I was already really busy in the shop—if I became an agent for another kind of goods I’d be even busier and wouldn’t have any time to attend gatherings. Just as I was really feeling at a loss, these words from the Lord Jesus came to mind: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). These words from God calmed me down and made me think of days gone by, when I had nearly given up my very life for the sake of making money. If it hadn’t been for accepting God’s gospel and through God’s words recognizing Satan’s trickery, plus how it uses money to entice people, then I would have ended up paralyzed, or I would have ended up dead. Even though from the outside it looked like that distributor seeking me out to ask me to be a representative seemed like a good opportunity to earn more money, hidden within that was Satan’s trickery. Satan was once again trying to use money to draw me in so that I would sell my own life for money, and continue to sink into the mire of wealth, being toyed with and done in by Satan. I knew I could no longer continue working day and night like some sort of machine just to earn money. If I exhaust myself to the point of collapse and lose my life, what value would all the money in the world be? Considering what I had already been through and taking the guidance of God’s words into mind, I very delicately turned down the distributor’s offer.
Afterward, I read another passage of God’s words: “For one sees that when one does not comprehend fate, when one does not understand God’s sovereignty, when one gropes their way forward willfully, staggering and tottering through the fog, the journey is too difficult, too heartbreaking. So when people recognize God’s sovereignty over human fate, the clever ones choose to know it and accept it, to bid farewell to the painful days when they tried to build a good life with their own two hands, and to stop struggling against fate and pursuing their so-called ‘life goals’ in their own way. When one does not have God, when one cannot see Him, when one cannot clearly recognize God’s sovereignty, every day is meaningless, worthless, miserable. Wherever one is, whatever one’s job is, one’s means of living and the pursuit of one’s goals bring one nothing but endless heartbreak and suffering without relief, such that one cannot bear to look back on one’s past. Only when one accepts the Creator’s sovereignty, submits to His orchestrations and arrangements, and seeks true human life will one gradually begin to break free from all heartbreak and suffering, and to be rid of all the emptiness of life.”
After reading these words from God, I thought of how I had been relying on the labor of my own two hands to create a wonderful life for myself, how I had made seeking money my lifelong pursuit that I was struggling for. The result for me was unbearable suffering, mental and physical exhaustion, living in pain and losing my direction in life. I had absolutely no happiness in life to speak of. Money and fame can only provide gratification of the flesh and temporary fulfillment of vanity, but cannot fill the emptiness within a person’s soul. Only coming before God, following and worshiping Him, and accepting the life sustenance of God’s words is a life with value and meaning. On top of that, our fate throughout our entire lives is within God’s hands, and whatever we possess over our time on earth was long ago determined by God. It’s not something that we can change with our own hard work. Once I came to understand God’s will I was no longer willing to live based on philosophies of Satan; I became willing to put my whole life into God’s hands and submit to His arrangements.
Living a Life of Meaning by Relying on God’s Words
Not long after that, there was a well-known factory in Guangdong looking for a general agent in my county seat. The factory manager came by my store several times to chat with me about it and also invited me out for a meal. I knew that I was already busy enough in the store, and that if I added that project not only would I have to expend more energy to take care of business, but my business dealings would also become really stressful and I’d be up to my ears in work. I realized this was a test from Satan coming upon me, so I prayed to God from my heart: “Oh God, Satan is trying to tempt me with money right now. I am willing to lean on You, to live by Your words and not be taken in by Satan’s tricks. Please protect my heart.” After praying I shored up my faith, that I never again wanted to return to my previous life of being toyed with by Satan. I turned down the offer. After letting go of it, I actually felt really relaxed and free, and I knew that all of this was God’s love for me.
In the time that followed, my wife and I managed the hardware store and our lives returned to normal. We took time off regularly; we also had the time to read God’s words and we frequently gathered with brothers and sisters and sang hymns. We also performed our duties in the church and joined the evangelical team. Every day felt really fulfilling to me—I was like an entirely new person. I told my wife very happily, “I was in really poor health before I gained my faith in God; I had a lot of illnesses. I felt like the prospect of death was constantly looming over me and I was living in constant fear. Now I feel like I’m completely full of limitless energy and I feel so much more at ease.” My wife smiled, appearing very pleased. However, she still had a bit of concern, so she had me go back to the hospital for more checkups. We went back to the hospital so I could get comprehensive exams done. The doctor looked at the results and then said I was in great health and there were no issues. With my lab results in hand, I felt so deeply moved and could not stop thanking and praising God. I knew this was entirely God’s grace for me. Then I sew God’s words, “Because the essence of God is holy, that means that only through God can you walk through life on the righteous path of light; only through God can you know the meaning of life; only through God can you live out real humanity and both possess and know the truth. Only through God can you obtain life from the truth. Only God Himself can help you shun evil and deliver you from the harm and control of Satan. Besides God, no one and nothing can save you from the sea of suffering so that you suffer no longer. This is determined by the essence of God. Only God Himself saves you so selflessly; only God is ultimately responsible for your future, for your destiny and for your life, and He arranges all things for you. This is something that nothing created or non-created can achieve.” Through God’s words I could really feel His selfless love for mankind. I thought of the path I had taken; when I was living within suffering and illness, when I was overwhelmed by the torment of health issues and didn’t want to go on living, the grace of God’s salvation came upon me. This saved me from Satan’s harm and brought me into God’s house, allowing me to escape from the suffering of illness and giving me a harbor for my soul. When I was stuck in Satan’s web, firmly bound by the shackles of money, it was God’s words that led me to see through Satan’s sinister intentions in corrupting mankind. I was then no longer willing to live based on Satan’s laws of survival. I feel that I’m so incredibly fortunate that I’ve been able to accept God’s work of the last days and step onto the path of a life of light. This is the most meaningful thing anyone can experience in life.
The End.
Part One: Bidding Farewell to the Days of Living for Money (I)