Are Our Thoughts Based on the Fa or Personal Preference?

(Minghui.org) Through observing the U.S. general election in the past few months, I have noticed one issue about myself. In fact, it is a problem I had all along in the past 20 plus years of cultivation and it may also exist for other practitioners. That is, when thinking about things, is my thought based on the Fa or my personal preference?

This is something easy to ignore. Sometimes we may have appeared very diligent on the surface and have even done lots of things. When looking back, however, I've found myself often doing things out of human notions and personal preferences, not based on solid cultivation. 

Throughout life cycles, we may have agreed with cultivation practice and developed fondness for it. That is, human notions such as personal affection were hidden in the willingness to cultivate. With that notion, one could sacrifice anything for cultivation, even including his or her own life. But this is different from genuine cultivation, since the former is based on personal fondness. 

Such a notion could be viewed as noble for mankind, but it has selfishness and sentimentality hidden inside. On the other hand, it could be difficult to discern because it is manifested as agreement with cultivation and even involves making sacrifices. Therefore, it could be mistaken as diligence and deceive people. 

Since the U.S. general election in early November, my heart has been fluctuating with it, swinging between delighted and downhearted, depending on the situation. I knew this was not right, since feeling discouraged was lack of faith in Dafa. I came to understand that, my heart should stay with the Fa all the time. The more complicated our surroundings are, the firmer we should remain in Dafa. This is because our hearts and minds are only associated with the Fa. And our faith in Dafa and Master is unconditional. 

With that thought, my mind has calmed down. Regardless of what happens, I just focus on the things that I am supposed to do. Instead of being disturbed, I now have deep faith in Dafa and Master, solid and natural. 

Looking back in the past, my heart was moved because of my human notions and personal preferences. Subconsciously, I thought things should go this way or that way. This is actually a very serious matter. We are assisting Master with Fa-rectification, and Master is leading us to create a new cosmos. In this process, any human notion or personal fondness can be extremely dangerous and is not allowed. 

From this I have also come to a better understanding on the timing of Fa-rectification. Some of us have also intermingled our human notions and personal fondness on that topic. Subconsciously, we are hoping the Fa-rectification would end earlier to fit our own preference, instead of making the best use of time to cultivate diligently and save people. The eagerness of finishing up this early and the joy associated with it are both human notions. Can we reach consummation with such an attachment or carry it to the new cosmos while helping with Fa-rectification? The adulteration of any human elements in Fa-rectification would bring bad things that would be taken advantage of by evil forces. 

Both demons and the old forces can easily manipulate us by exploiting our human notions and personal fondness. They may display some illusions based on our loopholes that appear very real. When we gain confidence from those illusions, wouldn’t that lead us to a dangerous path?

From the Fa we know that, no beings – no matter how high a level they are at – are able to know what Master really wants. For things during Fa-rectification, no one would know it before it happens. Therefore, we should not decide based on our human notions or personal fondness. We only need to have faith in Dafa and Master, and the solid efforts of cultivation and saving people.