THE FLOW OF LIFE SOLVING ALL OUR PROBLEMS
This is the real flow of life, and the more flow of life we have, the more our problems are solved. When I was younger, I was active to help people solve their problems. I would say, “This is easy; let me help you. Just do this and that—one, two, three, four—and your problem will be solved.” Eventually I found that this does not work. “One, two, three, four” is good in mathematics, but in the matters of life it does not work. Only the inner fellowship, the current within us flowing all the time, can solve our problems. No one and no teaching can do this. If a brother has a problem with his wife, I may advise, warn, beg, and entreat him. I may say, “Brother, you must do this and that for the Lord’s glory.” But regardless of how much I speak in this way, although it may seem that he receives the help, in actuality he does not. One day, however, he may consecrate himself to the Lord, saying, “Lord, I love You, and I consecrate myself to You for You to work on me.” Then as he allows the inner flowing to flow, this flowing will solve his problems. If not for this, Christianity would be like the many religions. Religions always try to solve problems by teaching and instructing people. The proper way, strictly speaking, is different. It is something within that is living and flowing.
THE INNER FLOWING REQUIRING OUR CONSECRATION
If we still have problems, either with God or with man, we are wrong concerning the fellowship. Probably the flowing within us is stopped. At least it is not fresh, living, strong, and adequate; it may be weak and nearly dead. At this time we need to experience our consecration. In order for the inner flowing to be stronger, we need to refresh and renew our consecration. The more we consecrate ourselves, not to work for the Lord but to be worked on by the Lord, the stronger the inner flowing will be, and when it flows strongly, it solves our problems.
We cannot help people to avoid even the sin of a little pride. We may say, “Brother, I realize that you are a proud person. Because you love the Lord and I love you, I want to tell you frankly that you must learn to be humble. Don’t be proud!” This, however, does not work. I did this kind of work many times when I was young, but now I never do this foolish work. I do not like to do this kind of foolish and useless work. It would be better for me to go to sleep. We should let such a brother be proud; it is better for him to be proud. To advise him to be humble is falsehood; that is not the real humility. He will merely be acting. What this brother needs is the inner flowing of the inner life. When he truly loves the Lord and consecrates himself to Him, does not struggle with the Lord, and never defeats the Lord, he will have a strong flowing within him. This will solve the problem of his pride. It will be something within, life swallowing up death. It will not be an outward adjustment, correction, or improvement, which is the work of religion, and not the working of the inner life. The working of the inner life is the constant flowing. In order to know life and in order to describe what life is in the way of experience, we must describe it in the way of fellowship.
(Practical Lessons on the Experience of Life, Chapter 4, by Witness Lee)
