This is an excerpt of a speech originally in Chinese given to Yicheng volunteers. It is slightly edited and revised. The speaker is Daohe.
Today we will explore the topic “seeking fulfillment of the soul”. Thank you for your attendance. God bless us. May God be with us.
In the Gospel of Matthew, during Jesus’s forty days in the wilderness, the devil challenged Him to turn stones into bread and He utters a profound truth: « People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. » (Matthew 4:4). This statement invites us to explore what truly sustains us and offers a path to deeper fulfillment beyond our physical needs.
In modern society where every bit of physical desires can be easily met, people seem to become increasingly disconnected with the spiritual world. All of us are chasing after more money, better cars, bigger apartments, higher grades, getting promoted, etc. While these ambitions are all fine and rightful as the pursuit for a happier life and societal progress, spiritual forces are what truly guide a person’s life direction and unite human society.
Human behaviors are always driven by invisible motives based on values. If these motives mostly stem from selfish drives, we are creating reality where everyone cares for only their own profits. If they stem from God’s wisdom, then we are more likely to create a paradise or God’s kingdom on Earth.
By truly living up to God’s Word, we find it necessary to reflect on our actions and choices all the time. Through reflection, we are able to correct our mistakes and redirect our life. We are driven to adopt the rightful way of living even facing life’s challenges and injustice, instead of flowing with circumstances. By doing so, we understand the weakness of human nature and the necessity of spiritual growth.
Living up to God’s Word means no longer living in a state of uncritically accepting external culture and conditions, but living with the guidance of morals and rightful values and actively changing the status quo according to God’s will, which is making the world a better place and bringing a brighter future of well-being.
Living up to God’s Word means not just loving oneself, but also trying to expand your love to others and the world. Driven by our sincere love, our capacity will be fully exerted and enable us to do all sorts of things that benefit others and the society. These actions will lead you to discover your true love and endless spiritual strength. In this way, we don’t just survive, but we are truly living a meaningful life.
Through following God’s Word, we are able to unlock our spiritual potential and thus are constantly on a journey of becoming a better soul and serving the world, which is the best part of being a human.
Living by God’s Word does not mean sacrificing our own time and happiness for other people’s benefits. Instead, it means allowing God’s wisdom to guide our way of living and inspire us to create more sustainable benefits and wealth for the world, which will benefit ourselves in return. We can start by:
- Seeking God’s guidance through prayer: Regular praying to God helps us center our lives around His will and strengthens our connection to Him.
- Reflecting on Scripture: Spending time with Scripture deepens our understanding and allows us to apply God’s truth to our challenges.
- Serving others and foster societal progress: Jesus often demonstrated that true fulfillment comes from serving and loving others. By acting on God’s word, we make His love tangible in the world. Whenever you see the possibilities of improving lives, you are the one who is responsible for making it happen.
As humans, we’re often tempted to fill spiritual voids with material solutions. Jesus’s response to temptation in the wilderness shows us a different way: a life rooted in faith and reliance on God’s word. By allowing His teachings to guide us and make the rightful actions, we find ourselves nourished in ways that lead us to true contentment and happiness.
