On a winter dusk in 2006, I headed to the library with a Buddhist book, intending to borrow another of the same type after returning the first.
"Hello, have you read the Bible?" This greeting halted me and directed me to Christ.
Behind every coincidence, God has made great preparations. It was the most confusing and helpless time in my life since I couldn't discover the meaning of life or the drive to live. I once read the inspirational book Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude on the power of faith, but I couldn't find it for myself. At the time, a simple question knocked on the door of my heart.
At the start of my faith, I worked at a state-owned company in Shenyang City. I was quite busy at work and only got two or three days off each month. A Christian friend joked that God rested after the six days of creation, while I was even busier! Back then, I believed that faith could fix my problems, so I resigned and began a full-time ministry.
Let’s say that I am the one who needs God, rather than saying that He has called me to serve. As a 17-year-old believer, I have been getting service and healing from God rather than claiming that I serve Him. Finally, there is reliance and solid ground in my life.
Previously, I always felt lonely, even though my parents loved me very much. Although my academic record had always been excellent, people's praise couldn’t be the strength in my heart.
Before knowing Jesus, I visited a suburban attraction with a beautiful landscape and various amusement equipment. However, I preferred to lie down on a hammock hanging in the woods. It was getting dark, and the location was announced to be closed. I wondered where I should go. How about continuing to lie here? My heart was wandering while my body was on earth.
Following Jesus helped my heart find its way home. The believers in the church love one another, which opened up a new world for me: it turns out that people can live such a life.
After serving full-time, I have been in the writing ministry for over a decade, witnessing many touching testimonies: a group of Christians chose to serve the elderly with limited mobility in a leprosy rehabilitation village for free for several years over their previous comfortable lives; a sister sold their houses to adopt abandoned babies and orphans; top students left their privileged lives to run for the Lord; and many Christians served the seriously ill and homeless.
All these moving testimonies testify to God's power, as those who serve have themselves experienced God's service. When I spoke with these people, they did not talk about what they had done. On the contrary, they admitted more about God's power and exposed their weaknesses. In comparison to them, what I've been doing has been even more insufficient, yet the fact remains that we all rely on God's grace. God serves us through the services we give while also building up others, which is a life of love.
Serving God may appear to be a narrow path, yet it is a bright, hopeful, and light road built on love. Blessed are the ones selected by God who answer His call and embark on a life of service.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
2006年冬季的一个傍晚，我带着一本佛教书籍走向图书馆，计划归还后再借一本。
“你好，你读过《圣经》吗？”一句问候停住了我的脚步，也带我认识基督。
一个巧合，背后却有神很多的预备。当时是我人生最为困惑、无助的时刻，我找不到人生的意义和生活的动力。我曾在励志书籍《积极心态的力量》中听闻了信仰的力量，自己却找不到门路。这个时候，一个简单的询问，就敲开了我的心门。
信仰之初，我在沈阳一家国企工作，工作很忙，一个月只放两三天假。一位基督徒朋友开玩笑说，神在六天创造结束后还休息，你更忙啊！当时，我相信信仰可以解决我的困境，就辞职开始了全职服侍的生活。
与其说我是得到神的呼召而走上服侍的道路，其实是我需要信仰。信仰17年，与其说我是在服侍神，实际上是一直得到神的服侍、医治。我的人生有依靠，我的脚下有了坚固的可站立之处。
以前，我始终觉得自己是孤立的，即便跟很爱我的父母也是有隔阂感。虽然我学习成绩一直很好，但是人们的夸赞却不能成为我心中的力量。
信主之前，我曾去一个郊区景点游玩，虽然景色优美，有不少游乐项目，但我选择躺在树林中悬挂着的吊床上面。天黑了，广播通知闭园，我想，我要到哪里去呢？要不就在这继续躺着吧……虽然肉身没有在流浪，而我的心却是流浪的状态。
信仰后，我的心终于找到了归宿。教会里信徒们彼此相爱，给我打开了一个不一样的世界——原来人还可以这样活着！
全职服侍后，我做了文字事工的十几年，见闻了很多感人的见证：一群基督徒放弃安逸的生活，长年无偿在麻风康复村服侍行动不便的老人们；一位姊妹为了收养弃婴、孤儿，卖了自己的房子；高材生撇下优越生活，为主奔跑；许多基督徒殷勤地服侍着患重病的、流浪的人……
这些令人感动的见证，都在见证着神的大能，因为其中的服侍者都是先得到了神的服侍。去跟这些人交流时，他们没有夸耀自己的付出，相反，更多地是告白神的能力，坦露自己的不足。跟他们相比，我做的就更显为不足了，但相同的那就是靠着神的恩典。神就是藉着我们所做的服侍来服侍我们，同时也造就别人，这就是爱的生活。
服侍神，看似走的是一条窄路，却是一条光明、有盼望、因着爱而轻省的道路。被神拣选、回应神的呼召而走上服侍道路的人有福了！
服侍主，是一条蒙福的道路
On a winter dusk in 2006, I headed to the library with a Buddhist book, intending to borrow another of the same type after returning the first.
"Hello, have you read the Bible?" This greeting halted me and directed me to Christ.
Behind every coincidence, God has made great preparations. It was the most confusing and helpless time in my life since I couldn't discover the meaning of life or the drive to live. I once read the inspirational book Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude on the power of faith, but I couldn't find it for myself. At the time, a simple question knocked on the door of my heart.
At the start of my faith, I worked at a state-owned company in Shenyang City. I was quite busy at work and only got two or three days off each month. A Christian friend joked that God rested after the six days of creation, while I was even busier! Back then, I believed that faith could fix my problems, so I resigned and began a full-time ministry.
Let’s say that I am the one who needs God, rather than saying that He has called me to serve. As a 17-year-old believer, I have been getting service and healing from God rather than claiming that I serve Him. Finally, there is reliance and solid ground in my life.
Previously, I always felt lonely, even though my parents loved me very much. Although my academic record had always been excellent, people's praise couldn’t be the strength in my heart.
Before knowing Jesus, I visited a suburban attraction with a beautiful landscape and various amusement equipment. However, I preferred to lie down on a hammock hanging in the woods. It was getting dark, and the location was announced to be closed. I wondered where I should go. How about continuing to lie here? My heart was wandering while my body was on earth.
Following Jesus helped my heart find its way home. The believers in the church love one another, which opened up a new world for me: it turns out that people can live such a life.
After serving full-time, I have been in the writing ministry for over a decade, witnessing many touching testimonies: a group of Christians chose to serve the elderly with limited mobility in a leprosy rehabilitation village for free for several years over their previous comfortable lives; a sister sold their houses to adopt abandoned babies and orphans; top students left their privileged lives to run for the Lord; and many Christians served the seriously ill and homeless.
All these moving testimonies testify to God's power, as those who serve have themselves experienced God's service. When I spoke with these people, they did not talk about what they had done. On the contrary, they admitted more about God's power and exposed their weaknesses. In comparison to them, what I've been doing has been even more insufficient, yet the fact remains that we all rely on God's grace. God serves us through the services we give while also building up others, which is a life of love.
Serving God may appear to be a narrow path, yet it is a bright, hopeful, and light road built on love. Blessed are the ones selected by God who answer His call and embark on a life of service.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Serving the Lord: A Path to Blessings
