[Feature story] 5 points to check your goodness of heart
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March 13, 2022 |
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1. Do you feel sad or discouraged?
Some people feel discouraged by the thought that someone who prays less and is less loyal than themselves are recognized and praised. They have been faithful with all their time, money, and heart, but if no reward or fruit is given for them, they may become discouraged. It comes from envy and jealousy. God says not to complain or envy against evil-doers or those who practice unrighteousness. (Psalm 37:1) If you are envious or jealous of others because you do not receive recognition and praise as much as you do, you must realize how bad it is. Praying before God, being faithful, and fulfilling your duty is not to receive any reward, nor to be recognized or praised. Of course, God will bless those who are faithful like this with fruits that are worthy of them even on this earth. Even if they do not receive any visible blessings on this earth, they will surely receive them as a reward in the future in Heaven. Those who believe and hope for this will never feel sad or discouraged if they do not receive praise or rewards as much as they have been loyal. With the heart of a worthless servant (Luke 17:10), they did the work of God the Father, who loves them, gives them grace and blessings, and leads them to heaven, so it doesn’t matter who knows or not.
2. Do you seek for others’ benefit?
To yield is to give up the benefit that will come to you and to pass it on to others. However, seeking others’ benefit goes beyond that level. It is the heart of helping others, even at the cost of self-sacrifice, so that they can get more recognition and praise, and they can take the lead. If you follow this heart in everything, you will be loved and recognized by those around you.
3. Do you have a heart of mourning?
Mourning for one’s sins, mourning for the souls, and mourning for the kingdom of God are proper before God. On the other hand, there is mourning that is caused by evil. Some people lament about their own situation and feel sorry for what they do not have, comparing to others. Even when they discover their own evil, they blame others for not being able to have good parents or growing up in a good environment. It contains envy, jealousy, and resentment against God. If you have discovered your own evil, you should humble yourself, repent thoroughly, and ask for God’s help. Only when you mourn this way, can you be changed.
4. Do you have a heart of yielding?
Even if it causes a huge loss to you, can you yield? Each of us are members of the Lord. So, if you insist on your own way and asset that you are the most important, you can never achieve harmony with others (Romans 12:5). We should have a heart of caring for and yielding to each other. This is also a kind of the heart that seeks other’s benefit.
5. Do you rejoice with the truth?
In order to achieve a heart that rejoices with the truth, we must cast off envy, jealousy, and hatred from our hearts. There should be no trace of gossiping, judging, and condemning others. Moreover, we should be able to rejoice even when someone we think is inferior to us is recognized and praised. Only then, we can be said that we have the heart that truly rejoices with the truth.
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