At a meeting in 1999, the leader fellowshipped with us: “God’s work will end this year….” At that time, the brothers and sisters all believed it. Full of confidence, they left their families, gave up their careers and all of their fleshly pursuits, and performed their duties with great enthusiasm. However, I harbored doubts and did not believe that God’s work would end so early. Thus, I continued my life of “believing in God while making money.” When the year 2000 came, God’s work did not end as people had imagined. And it was fellowshipped that there would be a “seven-year trial” to go through. Because of that, those brothers and sisters were refined half dead who had sincerely believed God’s work would end in 1999 and had given up their everything. But, I was happy inwardly: “I am cleverer. I have both earned money and kept my belief in God. You are so foolish to have made yourselves into such a pitiable plight. At that time I did not believe that God’s work would end so soon, but you all said that I did not believe God’s word and did not pursue the truth. Now, you see what I said is right.” The more I thought, the more I was pleased with myself.

Later, we had a meeting to fellowship about what truths we had gained from the “seven-year trial.” The brothers and sisters each talked about their own experiences and knowledge. They said that although having undergone the suffering of refining, they had gained some knowledge of God’s work, gained some knowledge of their own intents and purposes in their belief in God, and the “seven-year trial” was very beneficial to them…. At that time, I became an “onlooker,” sitting there blankly, unable to communicate any knowledge. Seeing me in such a state, the brothers and sisters read God’s words to me: “Those who did not believe the words of God and those who did not pay attention to the words of God had not undergone refining in the times of chastisement. Consequently, the Holy Spirit had not accompanied them, and they had gained nothing. As for those who entered the times of chastisement, although they had undergone refining, the Holy Spirit did the work within them in a hidden way. Consequently, they had gained some transformation in their life nature. Some people looked very active outwardly and were very happy all day long, but they had not entered into the state of being refined by the words of God and had not gained any transformation. That is the consequence of not believing the word of God. If you do not believe the word of God, the Holy Spirit will not work on you. God appears to all those who believe his word. Those who believe and accept the word of God can receive the love of God!” It’s true! Because I did not believe the work of God, I did not enter into the “seven-year trial” and so did not undergo any suffering of refining. Although outwardly I looked very happy all day long, I have missed the opportunity to gain the truth and haven’t gained any transformation in my life nature. Those brothers and sisters who believed God’s word and actively performed their duties are not so. Although they have undergone much refining because of giving up a lot and laboring hard for God, yet they have gained some truths and some knowledge of God, and they can fellowship about God’s words in light of their own states. What they have gained is much more, more precious, and more valuable than what they have lost. Thinking of this, I felt very remorseful. Earlier I teased the brothers and sisters and thought that they were foolish. Now I see I am the most foolish person indeed. I actually entrapped myself with my own “wisdom.”

Afterward, I read these words of God: “No matter what God says, you just enter into his words. When God says he starts chastising people, you just accept the chastisement; when God says he lets people die, you just accept the trial. You always live in the latest words of God, and then the word of God will make you perfect in the end.” Then I understood this: To gain the truth and have his nature transformed, one has to fully believe the word of God, enter into the present words of God, and always live in the latest words of God; only by doing so can he be made perfect by God in the end. O God! From now on, no matter what you say or what you do, I will drop my notions and imaginations, fully believe your words, and enter into the reality of your words. I will never again let go of any opportunity to gain the truth and to be perfected.

Yu Xinbian

Tianmen City, Hubei Province