Enlightenment
We share big and small enlightenments we have in our daily lives, walking with God.
A Mother’s Longing
One day, my mother sent me a photo on my phone. It was of a letter I had written when I was seven. She said she had come across it while sorting through some belongings. Dear Mom, Hi Mom! It’s me. I’m sorry for giving you so much trouble. Mom, if you need me to do something, just tell me. I’ll take care of everything for you. Stay healthy, Mom. I love you! You’re the best! Bye! My mother said she cried as she read the poorly spelled, rambling letter. She deeply missed the little boy for whom his mother had once meant everything. Does she feel that her son has drifted away from her embrace? From now on, I…
Shin Yu-dong from Darkhan, Mongolia
Comfort in a Few Words
All the Korean members who had been serving on a mission with me in Russia returned to Korea. After clearing out the home we had shared and completing the move, many thoughts crossed my mind. I suddenly felt alone and began to wonder, “Will I be able to do well on my own?” On the day the Korean member I had been living with left Russia, a local member contacted me and asked if she could come over that evening. We had dinner together and talked for hours, losing track of time. She had made a special effort to visit because she was worried that I might feel lonely. Through her unexpected thoughtfulness, I felt Mother’s love. It was as…
Bae Tae-joo from Moscow, Russia
For a Flower to Bloom
“If a flower does not bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” I thought deeply about what these words meant. If a plant seems to be growing well but does not bloom, we should not assume that the problem lies with the plant itself. Instead, we should look at whether it has the right environment. Is it getting enough sunlight? Is the soil in good condition? Is it receiving too much or too little water? Is it getting enough nutrients? Only by considering all these factors and creating the best possible conditions can we help it bloom. I realized that faith grows in much the same way. Have I studied God’s word often? Have I…
Yolna Louis from Tampa, FL, U.S.
Why We Say “I Love You”
While I was preparing for class, a child came up to me and asked, “Teacher, do you know why we say, ‘I love you’?” “Well, let me see . . .” As I was thinking about how to answer, the child replied, “Because we love them.” The moment I heard those words, I realized that this was the simplest and surest answer of all. We do not need a grand reason to say, “I love you.” I should tell my family, both physical and spiritual, that I love them—because I do.
Shim Hyun-ji from Guri, Korea
Overflowing With Thankfulness
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Col 2:6–7 As I listened to a sermon, the words “overflowing with thankfulness” touched my heart in a special way that day. I looked back on myself and wondered whether I, who had often caused God concern because of my weak faith, had ever offered Him enough thanks to fill my heart to overflowing. As I continued to reflect, tears of gratitude began to flow. God is worthy of receiving eternal thanks and praise from all the heavenly beings and countless angels. Yet, to save…
Kim Yu-ri from Uiwang, Korea
Finding the Combination
I bought a new lock for my bike. While I was trying to set the combination, the dials were stiff and would not turn easily. I applied a little more force, and suddenly, the lock clicked shut. It was now locked with a combination I did not know. I had only two choices: cut the lock off or try every possible combination from 0001 to 9999. Not wanting to spend money on another lock, I decided to endure the long process of trying each combination one by one. 0001, 0002, 0003 . . . By the time I reached 0080, I began to have second thoughts. “Am I foolishly wasting my time? Should I just give up and buy a…
Kwon Min-seong from Cheonan, Korea
Preparing Myself
The first time someone called me “mister,” it felt a little strange. Until then, people had only ever called out, “Young man!” or “Excuse me!” And now, suddenly, I was “mister.” As I grew older and began visiting the hospital for various health issues, I found myself thinking, “I really am getting old.” Then one day, a nurse addressed me as “Father”—a respectful Korean form of address for an older man. Being called that for the first time felt strange. I had clearly grown older, so why was it so difficult for me to accept being addressed that way? People around me have begun suggesting that I dye my hair. As I write this, I am wearing reading glasses for…
Oh Dae-yeop from Seoul, Korea
Hoping for What Is Unseen
Throughout my walk of faith, there have been times when I have forgotten God’s love and felt weary or discouraged. To an imperfect sinner like me, God gave a verse from the Bible that brought me strength. “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Ro 8:24–25 Although I received salvation through the hope God gave me, I sometimes became so focused on the visible world rather than the unseen kingdom of heaven that I forgot God’s love. I give thanks to God, who has guided me with…
Yoo Jeong-su from Las Piñas, Philippines
I Saw Myself in Those Roots
I set out to pull the weeds that had grown thick in the parking lot at Zion. It was my first time, so I was not very skilled, but I worked hard digging them up with a hand hoe. About 30 minutes after I started, I began to wonder if I really needed a tool to pull weeds. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I put down the hand hoe and began pulling the weeds by hand. The person next to me told me that I should not simply pull the weeds by hand. I needed to dig into the soil with the hand hoe and pull them out by the roots. Otherwise, the weeds would grow…
Ahn Ji-yeong from Gwangju, Korea
In Zion, Filled With Joy and Gladness
I spoke with a member who devotes herself to the gospel while working. She said that although work can be tiring, Fridays fill her with energy and excitement as she thinks, “I wish tomorrow would come soon.” But during the Sabbath evening worship, she feels a sense of sadness as the day draws to a close, thinking, “I wish this happiness could continue.” She said that on the Sabbath, her heart, weary from life in the world, finds comfort in God’s love, and she spends joyful and happy hours with the members in Zion. Hearing her heartfelt wish that such a happy Sabbath could last forever brought a verse from the Bible to mind. “The LORD will surely comfort Zion…
Lee Chae-suk from Gwangju, Korea
Everything in My Life
Not long ago, a coworker’s mother passed away. Just three days later, I heard that my coworker’s maternal grandmother had also passed away. Perhaps the grief of losing her daughter had been too much for her to bear. As I thought about how deeply she must have grieved, Heavenly Mother came to mind. She said, “You are My only concern and everything in My life.” Heavenly Mother came to this earth because Her children, who are everything in Her life, are here. Until now, I have thought only of myself and cared only about my own life. Only now do I realize that Heavenly Mother is everything in my life. What could I do without God’s love? What could I…
Maxwell Stephan Rothstein from Philadelphia, PA, U.S.
Finding the Lost Heavenly Children
One day, while I was on my way to work just as usual, a man came to me and handed me a piece of paper. It was a flyer for finding his daughter, who was thirty nine then. The flyer had her picture when she was eleven, along with the description of how she looked and what she was wearing. The father, who had been looking for his lost daughter for about 30 years, was handing out the flyers to passersby, with his back bent and his hands wrinkled. Suddenly, a verse crossed my mind. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Lk 19:10 Heavenly Father, too, could not take care of Himself…
Kim Min-seong from Suwon, Korea
Those Who Absolutely Obey God’s Word
I often thought, ‘Ah! This is what I should do,’ or, ‘I should get rid of my sinful nature,’ after listening to a sermon or watching an educational video. Within a few days, however, I would soon find myself leading the same lifestyle as before and feel a great deal of shame. Yet I would justify my action, thinking that I was at least keeping worship services. But I came back to my senses when I read this verse: “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” 1 Jn 3:4 I thought that lawlessness referred only to disobeying God’s commands such as the Passover or the Sabbath day. Since I kept God’s commands, I thought I was…
Jo Gyeong-jun from Yangsan, Korea
Through the Time of Refinement
Diamond is a mineral made when carbon has endured high pressure and high temperature in the depths of the earth for a long time. However, a rough diamond itself doesn’t look like a jewel at all. Besides, not all diamonds are treated as precious. Some of them are beautifully recreated through the hands of jewelers to attract the world’s attention, while others are processed and are used for industrial purposes. The value varies, depending on what kind of process it goes through. “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.” Job 23:10, NLT God likened the process of the refinement of faith to the process of obtaining gold.…
Yu Min-jeong from Busan, Korea
God Is Our Guide Forever
Sometimes I think, ‘I am lacking in many ways. How can I successfully carry out my God-given mission?’ Soon, however, I get reminded of God’s sure promise, which makes me cheer up. “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” Ps 48:14 God divided the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over on dry ground and destroyed the fortified city of Jericho to level the way to Canaan. God is still guiding His children who are preaching the gospel to all people around the world in the age of the Holy Spirit. Although I am still weak in faith, I will do my best to successfully carry out…
Jeon Sahng-hui from Seongnam, South Korea
I Will Remember Their Sins No More
“No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jer 31:34 It is not easy to forgive someone who has done wrong to you or hurt you. Even if you manage to forgive him, you will be distressed whenever the painful memories pop up. You can forgive him maybe with your mind, but it seems difficult to completely remove the scars in your heart. What if God has forgiven us but remembers our sins? When I think about the weight of our…
Choe Hyeong-hwan from Panaji, India
Chosen by Grace
I thought I became a child of God because I was good and righteous until I saw the following words: So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Ro 11:5–6 I could become a child of God not because of my actions, but because of God’s grace. We are walking the path to the kingdom of heaven thanks to Heavenly Father and Mother’s grace and love. I will always follow Heavenly Father and Mother with humility, giving thanks for choosing me as Their child though I’m lacking in many ways.
Park Ji-won from Toronto, Canada
Be All the More Eager to Make Your Calling and Election Sure
When I was faced with an unexpected situation during my overseas mission, I felt bad about myself. I felt incapable of doing any task and become low-spirited, thinking, ‘If it were another member, she would have done it much better than I did.’ However, after reading this cheerful verse, I never get frustrated at myself any longer. “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Pe 1:10–11 God has called and chosen me. It is not by my own effort or ability that such…
Gong Ju-hui from Medellín, Colombia
100 Percent Faith
Elijah and 850 idolaters gathered on Mount Carmel. It was the last battle to distinguish the true God from the gods they served. What Elijah did at that time moved me greatly. “With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.” He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time.…
Gu Jeong-min from Durban, South Africa
What I Have
Whenever I compared myself with other people, I felt that I owned nothing better than they did. At such times when I felt a loss of confidence, a verse woke me up. “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Rev 3:11 God’s word, “Hold on to what you have,” made me realize that I owned precious things more than other people. Father and Mother protect us as the apple of Their eyes, and our brothers and sisters share joys and sorrows with me. The heavenly blessing has been given to me, but not to everyone though he wants it. I was ashamed of myself for having compared myself with…
Kang Yeong-suk from Busan, Korea