When some people see someone with a great resolve to endure suffering—regardless of whether the suffering that person endures is meaningful—they especially yearn to become a person who can endure suffering. In particular, they yearn to become the kind of person who can discipline their body, rebel against their own flesh, and rebel against the extravagant desires of the flesh; they have a special admiration for those who are capable of suffering. The kind of person they yearn to become seems to be someone who is detached from worldly life and lives in a vacuum, with no human ambitions or desires, nor any personal hobbies, interests, or even personal choices—someone who has none of these things at all and is free of desires and wants. They particularly admire people of this type in their hearts, saying, “How come they don’t have selfish motives? How come they don’t have any personal preferences or desires, and are so capable of suffering? Why can’t I suffer? I am too deeply corrupted! I can only say that my corruption is deeper than theirs.” Once they have such thoughts and views, they launch an offensive against themselves: When they are hungry and want to eat, they restrain themselves and do not eat; when they are thirsty and want to drink water, they control themselves and do not drink; when it is time to sleep, they deliberately do not sleep; whatever they want to do, they deliberately do not do, and whatever they do not want to do, they deliberately do—they just do the exact opposite. They pay no attention at all to what is needed, what should be done, what responsibilities and obligations should be fulfilled, and what rules and principles of life should be observed in terms of normal humanity, and instead intentionally go against these things. Some even go so far as to deliberately act in violation of the rules and deliberately seek out suffering. For example, when it is time to rest at night, they force themselves to endure their fatigue and not sleep. If they like sweet food, they eat only spicy or bitter foods. When working, they specifically choose the tasks they do not like. They just train themselves to overcome difficulties and train themselves to be able to suffer, rejecting and rebelling against everything they need and like, and accepting everything they dislike and do not need. They feel that acting in this way is practicing the truth, and that God will definitely really like and accept it; they think that the greater the suffering they endure and the more discomfort and pain they feel, the more God will feel glad and accept it. Tell Me, what kind of thoughts and views are these? Isn’t this extreme? (Yes.) There are even some people who, in order to suffer and discipline their bodies, sit in front of the computer all the time, whether they have things to do or not, and also set themselves a rule that they must work for twelve hours every day, regardless of whether this gets results or whether they’re efficient. They do not rest even when their minds become foggy, and do not go to see a doctor even when they get sick. They believe that this is rebelling against the flesh, thinking, “I cannot let this old flesh get its way; the flesh must not feel comfortable. If it feels comfortable, it will do bad things, so I must make it suffer. Once it suffers, it will know how difficult it is for God to work, and once it suffers, it will be able to become quiet before God.” What kind of logic is this? Judging from their drive, they seem to have a bit of resolve and to be willing to practice the truth, but isn’t their method and approach a bit skewed, a bit extreme? (Yes.) They believe that suffering represents practicing the truth, that suffering represents doing their duty with devotion, and that suffering represents doing their duty efficiently. They think suffering is the highest truth principle and the most accurate form of practice, and that this is pursuing the truth. This way of comprehending things is extremely problematic! They believe that whether someone can suffer and how much they suffer is the standard God uses to judge what outcome they will ultimately have; they believe this is the truth. Is this viewpoint of theirs correct? (No.) Then why do they still persist in it? (Because they are influenced by Satan’s erroneous thoughts and views.) This is one aspect of the matter; it also has to do with people’s comprehension and their notions. They just sustain themselves on illusions, living amid their notions and imaginings, thinking that suffering can be exchanged for a good outcome and destination. They never seek the truth in this matter—they never seek to understand how God views suffering, what standards God requires of man, or what significance there is in God having man suffer. They also never reflect, and think to themselves, “Is the kind of suffering I’m undergoing in accordance with the truth principles? Is such suffering God’s requirement for man? Can it achieve the effect God intends to achieve through His work on man? By enduring this suffering, can man achieve an understanding of the truth and an understanding of God’s intentions? If not, then it proves this path is wrong, and I should turn back.” People of this type suffer because their thoughts and views are problematic. They have many human notions and imaginings about suffering. This also has to do with people’s ambitions and pursuits. Some people want to exchange their suffering for a good destination; some want to use suffering to boast about themselves and get others to hold them in high regard; and some want to use suffering to prove they have disciplined their bodies and possess the truth reality, aiming to replace the practice of the truth with the act of suffering. Some people are like this because their intentions and ambitions are problematic, and for others it’s because their comprehension is problematic. Regardless of where the problem lies, if you have not achieved an understanding of the truth, then the suffering you endure has no value. In another respect, if the suffering you endure is self-inflicted, then it simply has no significance. This is not suffering that’s been set up for you by God, nor is it suffering that you, as a normal person, must endure for the sake of pursuing the truth. Therefore, the suffering you endure has no significance whatsoever. Suffering for the sake of your destination or for the sake of status is not proper. It is futile and entirely devoid of significance; God does not approve of it, and He does not remember it. Then what should you suffer for in order for your suffering to be meaningful? Suffering for the sake of practicing the truth, suffering for the sake of changing your disposition, and suffering for the sake of attaining salvation is meaningful—this is the suffering you must endure. If you suffer in order to safeguard your status and satisfy human notions and imaginings, then the suffering you endure has no significance whatsoever; it is superfluous. What does “superfluous” mean? It means it’s entirely unnecessary. You have gone astray, and the path you walk is wrong. No matter how much you suffer or how great a price you pay, God simply does not remember it, and God does not approve of it. Because your suffering has nothing to do with practicing the truth, has nothing to do with attaining salvation, and has nothing to do with submitting to God, God simply pays no attention to it. Do you understand? (Yes.) This is the most worthless and meaningless kind of suffering.

There is also another kind of suffering, which is caused by man having corrupt dispositions. Man’s life, his pursuit, and the path he walks are all governed by his corrupt dispositions. Since man has corrupt dispositions, he inevitably has rebelliousness and resistance; since man has corrupt dispositions, he is still living under Satan’s power. If man wants to cast off his corrupt dispositions and attain salvation, he needs to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and he must experience much pruning and disciplining, as well as the various trials and refinement set up by God. Some people even have to experience some great tribulations. All of this is to enable man to gain the truth, cast off his satanic dispositions, and ultimately attain salvation; this is the necessary process for anyone to attain salvation. To cast off their corrupt dispositions and attain salvation, every corrupt human being must endure a great deal of suffering. In one respect, when they reveal corrupt dispositions while doing their duties, they must accept judgment and chastisement, accept pruning, and accept trials and refinement; this is suffering that must be endured. In another respect, in order to do their duties well, people must overcome certain personal defects and the inadequacies of their own conditions, and they need to acquire some professional knowledge. This also requires people to suffer and pay a price. Especially when people do duties in dangerous environments with poor living conditions, they also have to endure some suffering. Additionally, when people live within satanic dispositions while doing their duties, they act according to their own will, and even do things that cause disruptions and disturbances, so they need to reflect on themselves every day and accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words. They also have to endure the suffering of being chastened, disciplined, and refined, or the suffering of being revealed, dismissed, and eliminated. All this suffering is what people must endure. If you do not endure this suffering, it will be very difficult for you to ultimately cast off your corrupt dispositions and attain salvation. Whether it’s being exposed and judged by God’s words, being pruned by the brothers and sisters, or facing the environments God sets up to try people and refine them, these are all kinds of suffering that people must endure. They are processes that every corrupt human being must experience in order to attain salvation, and they are all meaningful and valuable. The purpose of enduring these kinds of suffering is so that you can ultimately attain salvation and be gained by God. This simply is not some kind of personal capital, because you are not enduring this suffering for the sake of other people. You do your duty for yourself, you practice the truth for yourself, and you expend yourself for God and endure all kinds of suffering for your own sake. In addition, your practicing the truth to resolve your corrupt dispositions, rebelling against your ambitions and desires, letting go of your various preferences and demands, and so on—all of this is so that you can ultimately attain salvation, achieve submission to God, and become a person who worships God. You endure this suffering so that in the end you can survive and become a member of the new humankind; although it is valuable, it is not a contribution to God. Why do I say it is not a contribution? Because the suffering you endure is not some kind of personal capital; you endure it entirely for your own sake. It’s just like eating and drinking: You eat and drink just so that you can survive. Every activity you engage in during your daily life is to maintain your physical life and survival. It is not for the sake of other people, but only for yourself. Therefore, even if you endure a lot of suffering, and even if you experience some difficult processes, this doesn’t mean you’ve acquired some kind of personal capital. It’s not worth mentioning—it is what you ought to endure. You cannot say, “When I eat, I do it for the sake of God, and I live my life for the sake of God!” You do not do these things for the sake of God; you do them for yourself. There is nothing worth boasting about in this. So, some people always say that, for the sake of believing in God and doing their duty, they have forsaken their jobs and given up their studies, or they talk about how much pruning they have endured, how many tears they have secretly shed, and how much they have secretly suffered. They always mention these things, thinking that the great deal of suffering they have endured for the sake of doing their duty and attaining salvation is a form of personal capital. This is entirely wrong. Corrupt humans ought to suffer in order to attain salvation; it is right that you suffer. Why is it right? Because you have been corrupted so deeply by Satan, you have corrupt dispositions, and you have a satanic nature. If you are to attain salvation, and be able to accept the truth and achieve an understanding of how deeply you have been corrupted, you must endure a great deal of pain; in particular, casting off your corrupt dispositions requires enduring even more pain. It’s just like a woman giving birth: She must go through labor pains and endure the suffering of childbirth. You cannot escape it even if you wanted to. The suffering you endure to attain salvation is something you endure for your own sake; you cannot say that you are enduring pain for God. You endure judgment and chastisement, pruning, and trials and refinement all for the sake of your own salvation. This is the suffering you ought to endure, and it is a necessary process. So, do not boast about how much you have suffered to do your duty, how much you have suffered to attain salvation, how much work you have done for God’s house, how much you have run about for God, or how many people you have gained by preaching the gospel. None of this amounts to having personal capital, and by no means should you claim credit for these things. You do not even know whether you have gained the truth, and you also do not know whether your disposition has changed, yet you always try to claim credit for such things. This is a manifestation of not having any reason. If you claim credit, God could reward you a hundred times over right now, giving you a materially abundant life and fleshly comfort, and letting you enjoy the glory and riches of the human world. However, if you believe in God merely to receive these things in return, and you do not pursue the truth, then your corrupt dispositions cannot be cast off, and you will not be able to attain salvation. You can enjoy this life, but God will not allow you to enter the world to come. However, if you do not believe in God in order to enjoy this life, but in order to attain salvation and become a member of the new humankind, and to cast off your corrupt dispositions and become a created being who worships God, then the suffering you endure is what you ought to endure, and it’s not worth mentioning beyond that. Bringing it up to anyone would be a manifestation of not having any reason. The goal, value, and significance of your suffering are for you yourself to attain salvation; there is nothing worth boasting about in this. Isn’t that the case? (Yes.) Some people always talk about how much they have run about and how much they have suffered since they started believing in God, and how much pruning, judgment, and chastisement they have experienced. They are always flaunting the “glorious chronicle” of their suffering. Let Me tell you: This is shameful, disgusting, and nauseating! These are all things you ought to do and ought to endure. You should not try to vindicate yourself. You haven’t earned any merit with anyone. Even if you do church work, leading a church, and provide some support and help to people, that is merely part of your responsibility and what you ought to do. Why is this so? For one thing, you are doing the duty of a human being. For another, even if you support, help, and provide for people, that’s just fulfilling your obligations as a human being after understanding the truth, allowing others to benefit from it. The truth, however, is not yours; it comes from God. You have merely relayed it and shared it. The truth is not your private property; it is God’s life, and it is God’s provision. So, when you do church work to support and help people, that’s not some kind of merit; you are fulfilling an obligation and a responsibility. If you do it well, you’re merely fulfilling your obligation and possess a bit of conscience and reason. There is nothing worth boasting about in this. If you do not do it well, you should examine and reflect on yourself. No matter how many people you may have once led while doing church work, or how many people you may have once supported and helped, in God’s eyes, these are merely good deeds remembered by Him. As far as people are concerned, however, you have not earned any merit with them whatsoever. Even if in doing this work, you paid a great price, endured a lot of suffering, and missed a lot of sleep behind the scenes, with some of you even falling ill and enduring the torment of illness, this does not mean you’ve earned any merit. All of this suffering is what corrupt humans ought to endure to gain the truth before they can attain salvation; it’s not worth boasting about in the slightest. Therefore, you should not demand glory for it, nor should you demand merit for it. I have fellowshipped the truth with you and provided for you for so many years, yet I do not feel I have earned any merit with you. You, meanwhile, have merely understood the truth through suffering and paying a price, and then shared it with others—does this mean you have earned some merit? Even if your actions have been of some help to others, that’s merely the result achieved by God’s words and by the truth. If God hadn’t expressed these words or these truths, what would you have to help people with? All you would impart to people is corruption, and human notions and imaginings; there could not possibly be the truth. The truth can only come from God. God is the source of the truth, and He is the source that provides life to humankind. You receive a drop of water from God, from the source, and then share it with other people. Even if it quenches their thirst, you have merely fulfilled your responsibility and obligation. For those people, it is absolutely not some kind of grace, favor, bestowal, or provision; at best, it is merely help. You have merely fulfilled the responsibility that a created being ought to fulfill. Through your experiences, you share and pass on God’s words and God’s intentions to others, allowing them to receive nourishment and provision from them. Thus, in My eyes, any suffering endured by corrupt humans during the period in which they are accepting the truth and attaining salvation is what they ought to endure. Since man has corrupt dispositions, and has been ravaged and corrupted by Satan, severely trampled underfoot by Satan, and instilled with and influenced by Satan’s various thoughts and views, and its heresies and fallacies, it is difficult for human beings to accept the truth. The process of a human being accepting the truth and attaining salvation is like a severely ill patient receiving treatment: They must endure suffering, without which they cannot be cured. In order to attain salvation, corrupt humans must accept the truth, accept judgment and chastisement, and accept trials and refinement. Only by enduring a great deal of suffering can they ultimately undergo a thorough transformation and become members of the new humankind. Without going through various environments of suffering, it is impossible for man to accept the truth so naturally and as a matter of course. Man’s corrupt dispositions are deep-rooted and have already become his life. Thus, man must accept the refinement of various kinds of suffering and must endure a great deal of pain in order to rebel against his corrupt dispositions, rebel against various human ambitions and desires, let go of various fallacious human thoughts and views, and accept the truth. What man gets in return for this suffering is salvation and the casting off of his corrupt dispositions; what he gets is submission to the truth and genuine worship of God; what he gets is God’s recognition of him, a created being. Therefore, this suffering is of the greatest value. No matter what kind of suffering you endure to cast off your corrupt dispositions, remember one thing: This is the suffering you ought to endure, and you should not broadcast it everywhere. If this suffering is what you endure willingly and is what you ought to endure, then you should approach it correctly and accept it from God. You should turn it into your own genuine appreciation and wonderful experiences, and share it with others through writing or speaking about it, rather than talking about your experiences of suffering to show off and grab personal capital for yourself. No matter how much you suffer, it is not your personal capital, and it doesn’t mean you have seniority. God does not measure whether a person ultimately has the qualification to attain salvation by how much they suffer. Is viewing suffering this way correct? (Yes.) Tell Me, do these thoughts and views regarding suffering that I have spoken of, which man should possess, accord with the truth? (Yes.) Shouldn’t suffering be viewed this way? (Yes.) If you can view things this way, there will be rationality and humanity to your actions, and your arrogant disposition will lessen quite a bit. First accept the correct thoughts and views, and then use these thoughts and views as a point of comparison against your own corruption and to resolve it. As you do things, practice according to the principles of practice of these thoughts and views, and your corrupt dispositions will be resolved without you realizing it. Much of the time, corrupt dispositions are cast off by a person accepting a correct thought and view, and first undergoing a change in their viewpoints, and then a gradual change in the way they act and in their dispositional revelations.