We Should Look Inward When Our Faith Wavers

(Minghui.org) At this critical juncture in Fa-rectification (I don’t want to say end, but critical in this particular sharing for reasons that will become apparent later), I’ve seen a number of practitioners who are wavering severely in their faith in Dafa. It’s become widespread enough that I feel it may be part of a greater phenomenon that goes beyond the practitioners in my area.

From what I’ve seen, there are two major reasons for practitioners wavering in their faith. One is an attachment to personal gain. The other is failing to look within.

1. Self Interest and Personal Gain

“What everyday people want is personal gain and how to live well and comfortably. Our practitioners are not this way, but exactly the opposite. We do not seek what everyday people want. Instead, what we get is something everyday people cannot obtain—even though they want to—except through cultivation practice.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture 4, “Loss and Gain”)

As practitioners, we know we’re supposed to take material interests lightly. Yet we also must cultivate in ordinary human society, where we are constantly confronted by temptation from material benefits that surround us.

In the course of Fa-rectification, many practitioners have given up a lot to devote themselves to saving sentient beings. Many are involved in media projects that were started by practitioners, but still have not yet become financially sound. And after so many years, some practitioners can develop the notion that they somehow deserve some things in ordinary human society. They gradually begin to resent a lack of money, or fame, or family, or even sex, and feel that they are being denied these things because they practice Dafa. Thus, the temptation to give up Dafa cultivation develops and the wish to pursue material things grows.

“Some people who are here listening find what Teacher says reasonable. Upon returning to ordinary human society, they will still think that those immediate gains are more practical and real.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture 9, “A Clean and Clear Mind”)

But think about it. We know that attachments to these things is what we need to give up, so why resent not having things that we shouldn’t want anyway? After all that we have experienced in cultivation, can you really think that Dafa is a lie, and that you’d be happier endlessly struggling and pursuing material things until death comes to nullify your existence? Even if you were to give up Dafa, does that guarantee you’ll get the things you pursue?

But this thinking can give rise to another error. One instead exchanges the pursuit of selfish personal gain of impermanent things for the pursuit of selfish personal gain of permanent supernatural things, like supernormal abilities, godhood, and a heavenly paradise where everything is blissful beyond imagination. But the attachment to personal gain has still not been given up. And so you might think, “I can hold off for just a bit longer. Everything’s going to end soon, right? And then I’ll have even better things!” As time goes by, and things don’t end, those otherworldly gains will gradually seem less real than the ones that are right in front of your eyes. Your faith will again waver.

“As a truly-determined practitioner, one is able to endure everything and give up or care less for any attachment in the face of various self-interests. As long as one can do this, it will not be difficult. Those people find it difficult because they cannot let go of these things. Cultivation practice itself is not difficult, and neither is upgrading one’s level itself difficult. It is because they cannot give up the human mind that they call it difficult. This is because it is very difficult to relinquish something in the face of practical gain. The benefits are right here, so how can you abandon these attachments? It is actually because of this that one will find it difficult.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture 9, "Closing Statements")

Have you ever had this thought? “I really need something so I can continue to clarify the truth and practice cultivation.” But that thing you really need doesn’t come. “Why hasn’t Master arranged this for me? Maybe Dafa isn’t real…” But don’t you realize that Master has arranged everything?

2. Failing to Look Inward

I have been involved in a Dafa project for several years. Over that time, I’ve seen practitioners come and go, some leaving with their faith shaken. And more often than not, the excuse given is that practitioners in that project aren’t compassionate, “They’re even worse than everyday people!”

Compassion is not something that happens to you. It’s something that rises out of your heart and is given to all sentient beings, regardless of how they treat you, based on a genuine understanding of the Truth of the universe. With that understanding comes the Forbearance to endure anything. We understand from the Fa that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, Zhen-Shan-Ren, is inseparable.

“Our Falun Dafa is based upon the highest standard of the universe, Zhen, Shan, and Ren, all of which we cultivate simultaneously. The system that we cultivate is enormous.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture 1, “Zhen-Shan-Ren is the Sole Criterion to Discern Good and Bad People”)

So much has changed in the world this year alone. Shen Yun has had a string of sold-out shows in New York City, one of the cultural centers of the world. A political war is being waged between the highest-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo Committee, and Dafa media has been the leader in these reports. And now your faith wavers? Can that really be a coincidence? Why have you had faith all these years, only to now call it into question?

Don’t let the old forces ruin the cultivation you’ve been awaiting for an unimaginable number of lifetimes. Don’t worry about some final reward or when things will end. Dafa is the Truth, and its principles can be seen at all levels. Transformation of gong is done by the Master. We just need to do the three things well.