Overcoming a Tribulation: Negating the Old Forces’ Arrangements

(Minghui.org) I was a child when I began to cultivate Falun Dafa. Over the years, I have encountered conflicts that offered the opportunity for me to improve myself, but never anything so overwhelming that it felt like an impasse. The communist regime’s recent “Zero-Out Campaign,” however, was a big xinxing test for me. Thanks to Master’s help and the power of the Fa, I overcame the obstacle by negating the old forces’ arrangements, improving myself through Fa study, and clarifying the truth about Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong).

Staying Steadfast in My Faith

I was caught completely off-guard when my supervisor called me into his office and demanded that I sign the three guarantee statements to renounce my faith in Dafa. I didn’t know what to do, nor could I think of anything to say to him. I just knew I wouldn’t sign it no matter what. Needing everyone’s signature for the Zero Out Campaign, he continued to pile on the pressure during the following days and even threatened to fire me. I didn’t know what to do or how to respond.

“I should clarify the truth to my supervisor and the upper management,” I thought. But I had no idea how to approach them. Would they listen to me? Would they understand? From what angle should I clarify the truth? I had talked about saving sentient beings thousands of times before, but at that moment I was at a loss as to what to say or do. The standoff dragged on. My supervisor grew increasingly impatient with me—he couldn’t understand why I was so stubborn. I, on the other hand, couldn’t explain myself clearly, which upset him even more.

I thought long and hard every day, hoping to find a good way to clarify the truth to the higher-ups at work, including my supervisor. I can get things done but am not good with words. I rarely clarified the truth in person due to my work schedule. Instead, I distribute truth-clarification fliers at night after Fa study. What should I do? How was I going to save the people at work? I regretted not having practiced doing this much and now I didn’t even know how or where to start.

Clarifying the Truth to My Supervisors

Master saw my sincere wish to save them and gave me an idea, “You can always write it down if you can’t say it to them in person.” This reminded me, “True. Compared to verbally expressing myself, I’m much better at writing. I can write a truth-clarification letter. This could also serve the purpose.”

With Master and fellow practitioners’ help, I started drafting a letter to my bosses. I told how I started cultivating in Dafa and how it changed me for the better in so many ways. I explained what Falun Dafa is and how it teaches people to conduct themselves according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and become a good person. I talked about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) sole purpose of existence and the countless unpardonable evils it has committed. I concluded the letter by suggesting that whoever received it should truly distinguish good from evil, not be deceived by the CCP, and choose a bright future for themselves and their families.

After I sent copies of the final draft to three different administrators of my company, my supervisor stopped pressing the issue. I strengthened my Fa study, reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa, whenever I had time. With Master’s guidance, I improved quickly and enlightened to higher Fa principles. I became more clear-headed, had stronger righteous thoughts, and saw a clear direction in my cultivation.

Suspended From Work

After a few days, I received a message from my supervisor asking me to see him in his office. “Everything is decided by Master,” I strengthened my righteous thoughts. “I will handle this in a dignified and upright manner.” My supervisor and a few other executives were waiting for me when I got there.

“Are you still not going to sign the statement?” my supervisor asked. “Is it impossible to change your mind? I’ve done everything I can and have tried my best. We don’t want you to lose your job and hoped you’d sign the statement. But, you’re just so stubborn that you have left us with no choice. The Central Political and Legal Affairs Committee official is expecting a report and we’ll have to mention you since that is our obligation.”

As I listened to him talk about his plan, I knew the company decision-makers still didn’t fully understand the truth. When I asked if everyone had read the letter I sent you, they all confirmed that they did. One executive commented that they all knew I was a good person, that there was no question about it, but that practicing Falun Gong was against the law. I explained that the CCP was the one breaking the law. I told them practicing Falun Gong is legal in China and pleaded with them not to side with the evil Party.

A deputy chief raised his voice, “If the CCP says what you’re doing is illegal, then it’s illegal. If they say you’re a criminal, then you’re a criminal. You’ve been treated unfairly and the persecution has no legal basis—so what? You still live in a society governed by the CCP. The Party pays my salary so I work for the Party and will do whatever the CCP tells me to do.” I tried to explain further, but he cut me off and didn’t want to hear any more of it.

I was suspended from work and had only a few days to decide between signing the statement or losing my job. If I don’t sign the statement to renounce my faith, the police would get involved and I would have to go through the legal process. “Is this truly your intention?” I asked. “Is this really what you choose to do?” The deputy chief said coldly, “Yes, this is what we choose to do—we’ve made our decision.” I knew there was nothing else I could say so I left.

After turning in my badge to HR, I walked by the deputy chief’s office. Through a thick cloud of blue smoke, I saw him slumped in his chair with his head down, smoking a cigarette. He looked up and seemed to have heavy thoughts on his mind. The look he gave me saddened me and tears welled up, “I am useless. I hope other practitioners who are better at clarifying the truth can save you.”

I grabbed my things and was ready to leave. A few of my close co-workers were sad to see me go. They called me a fool and felt sorry for me. They cried and told me not to forget them.

Everything Is Under Master’s Control

I remained calm and held it together until I got home. Then, I couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my face. All of my human notions and negative thoughts were in one big jumble. I was sad that some close friends at work didn’t come to say goodbye for fear of being implicated. Friendship was so quickly abandoned for self-interest. I felt discriminated against—it was unfair the way I was treated for merely wanting to be a good person. I was angry and bitter that the higher-ups at work couldn’t tell right from wrong. It was such a shame they chose to side with the CCP. I felt helpless losing my job and my sole source of income. It was humiliating getting kicked out in front of the entire company. Everything happened so quickly, and all kinds of emotions and thoughts cropped up.

I’m not married and I live alone. I relied on my salary to cover all my expenses. Now I was just waiting to get fired and to have everything that I depended on taken away. My whole world was collapsing. “What am I going to do? I am already in my 40s and have no other skills. Even if I look for a part-time job, nobody will even consider me. How am I going to support myself?” The more I thought about it, the more helpless and desperate I felt. My cries became louder and louder.

Suddenly I came to my senses, “Who am I? I am a Dafa practitioner. I have Master. Master is always watching over and protecting me. Only Master can decide what happens to me. Why am I crying?” I stopped crying and said, “I’m going to study the Fa.”

Master said,

“The Fa can break all attachments; the Fa can destroy all evil; the Fa can shatter all lies; and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts.” (“Drive Out Interference,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress II)

I no longer held any other thoughts and focused on studying the Fa with a calm and clear mind. Every passage I read was applicable to the problem at hand, as if Master was telling me what to do, how to cultivate, and what to work on. I was able to calm my mind, but my heart was still heavy—I worried about my livelihood.

In bed that night I couldn’t fall asleep. Human notions and attachments stirred up all kinds of human thoughts. When I was half asleep and half awake, I saw Master. Like a small child, I sat down next to Master, crying. “They want to fire me. What am I going to do, Master?” I started to cry hysterically. Master looked at me with immense compassion and comforted me, “It’s okay. It’s okay. Everything is under Master’s control. Everything is fine.”

I suddenly woke up and thought: “Everything is under Master’s control. Doesn’t that mean Master decides everything? Then everything I have, my job, my salary, whether or not I get fired, how I make a living—doesn’t Master decide all of this? How could any ordinary person have the authority to fire me? How could any ordinary person arrange my life?

“On the flip side, who had arranged everything I was currently experiencing? It could not be Master. How could Master put me in such a situation? It must be the old forces. Wasn’t all of this arranged by the old forces? I had been walking the path arranged by the old forces unknowingly. I am Master’s disciple. I cannot comply with the old forces arrangements. I do not acknowledge anything the old forces have arranged.

“My job and my salary were given by Master for me to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. The old forces want to get me fired, but they don’t have a say in this. I only listen to Master. If Master wants me to have this job, then the job is still mine. If Master doesn’t want me to work there anymore, then Master has a different plan for me. I need to let go of my attachments and go along with whatever Master has planned for me.” I instantly felt better as my worries and sadness dissipated. I made up my mind to only follow Master’s arrangements.

Improving Myself

It became clear to me that this whole ordeal was arranged by the old forces and that I should deny and eliminate all of it. I studied the Fa continuously and worked on improving myself guided by Master and the Fa. I now had a better idea of where my xinxing level was—my reactions were a true representation of my xinxing level. When I thought I was going to lose everything my life depended on, everything that established me in society, and when my fame, self-interest, and sentimentality were threatened, I forgot what really mattered.

Examining myself further, I realized that deep down I still wanted to “live a good life” among ordinary people. I wanted to be comfortable and was afraid of suffering any hardships or tribulations. I wanted everything to go my way and only “good things” to come my way. I was afraid of living a hard life, which meant that I didn’t want to lose my job, my paycheck, and the financial stability it provided. I couldn’t stand the thought of my co-workers poking fun and looking down on me. The possibility of losing face and not being able to hold my head up in front of others was killing me. I worried that friends and family members would misjudge me. I was frightened of being arrested and tortured. I was terrified of having my organs harvested while I was still alive. I didn’t want to die and become another victim of the persecution.

I was attached to so many human notions. I held onto them tightly and couldn’t let them go. This was how I got myself into such a difficult situation! At first I was so scared of losing my job. I was crushed, didn’t know what to do, and completely fell apart. I almost wished that Fa-rectification would end at that moment so that I wouldn’t have to go through the agony.

When I thought of this, I realized how completely and utterly human I still was. Despite having cultivated for so many years, I still hadn’t improved above and beyond the human level, and my thinking was still very much like that of a human. Not only that, I brought all this pain upon myself. How sad is that? I was so far behind in cultivation and would have to work even harder to catch up. I needed to study the Fa more and improve myself as quickly as possible.

Denying the Old Forces’ Arrangements

I revisited the tribulation brought about by the Zero-Out Campaign, how I’d handled it so far, and how my heart was moved in the process. It suddenly hit me that it was entirely the CCP’s doing and had nothing to do with me. I didn’t recognize this soon enough and went along with it. When my supervisor said I had to choose between being fired and signing the statement, without hesitation, I said I wouldn’t sign the statement. I thought I was doing the right thing—I wouldn’t give up on Dafa cultivation even if I was fired. This thought, although at the time it seemed to be a righteous thought, validated the old forces’ arrangements. Why should I have to choose between two options the old forces had presented? The Zero-Out Campaign was the evil’s doing and had nothing to do with me. I am Master’s disciple and therefore deny everything arranged by the old forces. Only Master can decide what happens to me.

I reviewed the events that led up to my suspension. I realized that I had been blindly following the evil’s arrangements all along. Now I saw it for what it was and denied all of it completely. The old forces were not only trying to destroy me, they were destroying sentient beings. I decided to continue clarifying the truth to my bosses. As for my job, Master would decide for me—I didn’t have to worry about it. I just needed to focus on what I was supposed to do and nothing else.

Things Turn Around

Just as I planned to further clarify the truth to the higher-ups at work, a co-worker messaged me. Our chief and the deputy chief who were going to fire me got transferred. This sudden change caught me off guard—what was that all about? I was just about to clarify the truth to them. They are no longer with the company? But, then I thought, “If this is the way it’s supposed to be, then so be it. Master has a plan for everything. I will clarify the truth to the new chiefs.”

An executive soon called and told me I was no longer going to lose my job but I would get a demerit. He asked me to come into the office and sign some paperwork. Things took a 180-degree turn. Surprisingly, I was very calm and my heart was not moved at all, as if everything was how it was supposed to be. This is evidence that everything is decided by Master and everything is under Master’s control.

It was good news that I could keep my job, but I shouldn’t get too happy about it yet—I didn’t do anything wrong and was a good employee. I was hard-working and reliable and always went above and beyond the call of duty. It was the company administrators who were complying with the Zero-Out Campaign. They suspended me, threatened to fire me, withheld my salary, and tried to coerce me to renounce my faith. They brought disorder and disrupted the peaceful routine of my life, and now I was going to get fired? I would not accept it. However, this gave me the perfect opportunity to clarify the truth again to the administrators. This time, they didn’t say anything and that was the end of it.

I wrote a truth-clarification letter to the new chief and asked to be reinstated, no strings attached, and compensated fully. I asked the new chief to do the right thing and uphold justice. A co-worker helped me deliver the letter while I waited patiently for his response.

While studying the Fa one day, my phone chimed. It was a deposit notification—my paycheck had been deposited electronically and not even one cent was missing. A few days later, I received a call and asked to return to work.

All kinds of emotions arose when I heard this. The whole thing played out in front of my eyes like a movie. I was filled with gratitude to Master for compassionately saving and protecting me. Thanks to Master for arranging everything for me. I was at a loss for words to express my gratitude and I broke into tears. Thank you, Master, for your endless compassion.

Final Thoughts

Recalling what had happened, I have a much better understanding of the things that confused me at the time. I left everything up to Master throughout the incident, even at the most difficult time. Why did Master let the old forces’ plan take place then? I finally figured it out—Master was using the old forces’ arrangement to help me improve and establish my virtue. Master’s intention was for me to mature as a cultivator. Through this incident, my co-workers and bosses also had the opportunity to position themselves and choose their own future.

Most importantly, I found some well-hidden human notions and attachments that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Without Master’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome this great tribulation. Thanks to Master!

I will cultivate solidly, continue to improve myself, and not let Master down. I will repay Master with my righteous thoughts and righteous actions.