Is It Worth Struggling for Wealth and Fame? | The Church of Almighty God

                                             

                                               By Feifei, China

    One day, a friend of mine told me a joke: A white cookie asked a black cookie why he was so black. The black cookie replied, “Because I don’t want to live in vain.” (In Chinese, “in vain” and “white” have the same pronunciation but different meanings.) After hearing this bad joke, in addition to feeling ridiculous, I couldn’t help but think: It is true that we are all unwilling to spend our lives in vain and we all want to live a life of value. Some choose to earn a great deal of money; some choose to make a go of a career; others choose to pursue prominent status…. However, will such pursuits bring us a meaningful life? In the past I would say “Yes” without hesitation; but having experienced and seen much, I had a question mark about it.

Why Are We so Busy?

In my mind’s eye, my father was very busy. He had many social engagements, and almost got drunk and came back home very late every day. Owing to the long-term heavy work, irregular life, and excessive drinking, my father got heart disease and high blood pressure. My mother was always worried about his health and advised him to care about his health, but my father replied that what he did was in order to make a great deal of money and give us a better life and that only in that way could we enjoy better material comforts and be admired by others. Finally, he got his wish. He was promoted from a clerk to a factory director, and was highly praised and crowded around by others. And our family became famous for big fortune. Nevertheless, my father wasn’t satisfied. In order to earn more money, he invested in a bigger business. But he lost every cent he invested and was heavily in debt in the end, which made his hair turn grey overnight. In the following days, my father took pains to work and ran around busily from dawn to dust to stand out from the crowd again. Later, my father retired. Nonetheless, he didn’t feel satisfied with what he had already got, thinking only of the day when he would rise again. Regardless of his heart disease, my father rushed about the construction site every day. No matter how we tried to persuade him, he never listened, just told us that he didn’t want to live in vain.

I also read these words in the spiritual book, “Only if one knows God and has the truth does he live in the light; and only when his view of the world and his view of life change does he change fundamentally. When he has a life goal and comports himself according to the truth; when he absolutely submits to God and lives by God’s word; when he feels assured and brightened deep in his soul; when his heart is free of darkness; and when he lives completely freely and unrestrained in God’s presence—only then does he live a true human life and become a person possessing truth. Besides, all the truths you have are from God’s word and from God Himself. The Ruler of the entire universe and all things—God Most High—approves of you, as a real man living the true human life. What could be more meaningful than God’s approval? Such is a person who has the truth. … Only God is the truth. God controls the heavens and earth and everything in them and has dominion over all. Not to believe in God, not to submit to God is to be unable to obtain truth. If you live according to God’s word, you will feel a clarity, stability, and incomparable sweetness in the depths of your heart; you will have truly obtained life” (“How to Know Man’s Nature”). From these words I clearly understood that if we do not believe in God and worship God, and instead only seek fame and wealth, live by Satan’s toxins and wrong life rules, we would never obtain true human life. For Satan’s substance is evil and it has no truth. What Satan has instilled into us are wrong pursuits, which lead to destruction. Only God is the truth, the way, and the life; only God’s words can show us the right direction. Only if we experience the work of God and understand every aspect of the truth from God’s words, knowing what God likes and what God detests, casting off our corrupt disposition, and living in accordance with God’s words and the truth instead of Satan’s poisons, only if we pursue toward the path that God shows us and eventually achieve knowledge of God and attain the truth, can we receive the real human life and live a life of value and significance. For example, Job pursued understanding of God in life, fearing God and shunning evil; his life goal was living for satisfying the Creator instead of going in for material comforts and wealth and glory. When Job lost priceless family possessions, lost his livestock all over the mountains, and his body was covered in boils, he was never worried about personal gains and losses owing to losing fame and fortune; he still held fast to the way of fearing God and shunning evil and extolled the Holy name of Jehovah. Because of his obedience to and fear of God, he gained the approval of the Creator, being judged righteous by Jehovah, and living a most meaningful life. Having understood this, I had a correct goal of pursuit. I decided to pursue the way that God’s words showed me and obey God’s sovereignty and arrangement, no longer pursuing to live a superior life. Then, I no longer lived in vain, but began a new life course. In order to spread the kingdom gospel, I walked through the jungles, walked on the country roads, and cycled on the street. I felt relief and joy in my heart. I was no longer sorrowful for living in vain; instead, I felt that I was greatly honored to be able to follow God, pursue to know God, and perform my duty as a created being and that it was so meaningful. Now, under the watering of God’s words and under the guidance of God, I feel very assured every day. I deeply appreciate that only this kind of life is the happiest in the world!

If you have any understanding or enlightenment from God, welcome to share with us via the online chat window at the bottom of the website or send an email to info@hearthymn.com. For free resources on What is the Meaning of Life, read here: Meaning of Life. We sincerely hope we’ll grow spiritually through sharing with each other.
Source:Meaning of Life


Recommendation:Eastern Lightning, The brief introduction of the Church of Almighty God