The paths that we take are all arranged by God. Where we live, what job we do, and how much wealth we have—these are determined by God. Since we all have the mission and value that God has given to us, only when we obey God’s arrangements can we live a free and happy life. However, when we have no knowledge of God’s sovereignty, we tend to struggle against fate. We always compare ourselves to others, thinking that others are richer and higher in status than us. We are always not satisfied with what we have, and want to change the present situation, just as God says, “Because people do not recognize God’s orchestrations and God’s sovereignty, they always face fate defiantly, with a rebellious attitude, and always want to cast off God’s authority and sovereignty and the things fate has in store, hoping in vain to change their current circumstances and alter their fate. But they can never succeed; they are thwarted at every turn. This struggle, which takes place deep in one’s soul, is painful; the pain is unforgettable; and all the while one is frittering away one’s life. What is the cause of this pain? Is it because of God’s sovereignty, or because a person was born unlucky? Obviously neither is true. At bottom, it is because of the paths people take, the ways people choose to live their lives.”

Comparison always brings us a weary and miserable life. Because of comparison, some people work very hard to earn money so as not to be inferior to others in wealth, but they end up with a bad physical condition; some people undergo plastic surgery to shape their bodies in order to be more beautiful or handsome than others, but they suffer from botched plastic surgeries and are overcome with regret; some people live every day in complaint and pain, becoming more and more negative when they find others more excellent than themselves …

To get over pain, God has told us this word: “When you truly know, when you truly come to recognize that God has sovereignty over human fate, when you truly understand that everything God has planned for and decided for you is a great benefit, and is a great protection, then you feel your pain gradually lighten, and the whole of you become relaxed, free, liberated.” If we can accept everything from God and learn to obey His arrangements, then we can correctly treat all we have, thank God for everything He bestowed upon us, and gain true freedom at last.