As a boy of sixteen, I came into contact with the will of Heaven through prayer, and throughout my life after that I have devoted all my spirit and energy to accomplishing God’s will. I came to understand that the fundamental cause of human unhappiness is that the relationship with God was severed owing to human beings falling into a state of spiritual ignorance as a result of the Fall of the ancestors of humankind. Through this, people fell into ignorance with regard to God, life, and the fundamental problems of the universe. I have spoken publicly on more than ten thousand occasions in many places around the world and set forth a true view of humanity, a true view of the world, and a true view of history based on Godism. These speeches have been translated into twelve languages and published in three hundred volumes. Their contents that I teach are not the result of a comprehensive study of historical documents or scholarly research, but are rather the principles and fundamental answers I arrived at through freely communicating with both the visible and invisible worlds.
The literal meaning of the word “blessing” is “praying for blessings.” If you break down the word chookbok (blessing), chook means to pray or wish for something. When you are praying for blessings, what is it that is most precious? It is none other than the blessing of love. The Unification Church uses the word blessing with this meaning. The blessing of love is the greatest, because the fundamental origin of life begins with man and woman coming together in a holy wedding. It represents the most precious commitment of the universe. When praying for blessing, the best blessing you can ask for is the blessing of love, and so the Unification Church refers to marriage as the Blessing.
Look at the Chinese character meaning ‘patience’ or ‘forbearance.’ The top half is the character for sword, and the bottom half the character for heart.20 From this, you can see that ‘patience’ means ‘to set a sword over your heart.’ If you are going to shoulder a large burden and accomplish a great task, your patience must be a hundredfold, a thousandfold, even infinite. (124:155-56, February 6, 1983)
The Chinese character for patience indicates that one should endure even under the threat of a knife to the heart. It is painful to have a knife stuck in your heart. Yet a person who endures that a thousand times can hope to triumph in a thousand battles. (93:320, June 12, 1977)
On your quest you will be hampered by innumerable foes, but you must fight them and fight them again, advance and advance again, clash and clash again. Thus supporting the altar of patience with your shoulders, feet, hands, torso and head, you must become a living offering who can climb over the hill of perseverance. (6:92, March 29, 1959)
A mature person makes effort to discover the sweet taste in all things bitter. That way, he knows their real taste. It is a law that things are sometimes up, sometimes down, as they go through their cycles. Likewise, sweet things leave a bitter taste, while bitter things have some sweetness in them. (98:205, August 1, 1978)
No matter how tired I may feel, once I think of the responsibility I have yet to fulfill, all that feeling of fatigue dissipates. (Way of God’s Will 1.5)
The way of religion is prolonged endurance; the way of religion is continual sacrifice. When in faith we endure and sacrifice, we can find the world of great love that God has been working towards. This is definitely true. Therefore, when we say that God is love, we should understand that sacrifice and endurance dwell in it. (112:51, March 29, 1981)
Which is the good side? The good side waits for a long time, keeps patience for a long time and keeps hope for a long time. The evil side has no patience. If it is at a disadvantage, it will try to punch the other and jump to action at once. The good stays patient and endures even through struggle and frustration. Whatever comes, it maintains hope and does not fall into despair. A good person is patient and enduring not only for himself; he is also patient and enduring for those who are not patient. (93:112, May 21, 1977)
What was the secret of Jesus’ victory over death? He lived for the sake of others and established a path of endurance through his own example. If in the Garden of Gethsemane he had said, “Father! Take this cup away from me! Please, I insist on it!” he would have lost everything. Yet instead he said, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thy will be done.” Because he endured and went on, he was victorious. That is his greatness. (76:227, March 2, 1975)
No torture or punishment could make me deviate from the heavenly path. Nor could six imprisonments stand in the way of the True Parent’s search for His children. As I sat in a cold prison cell and watched drops of water fall from an eave, I pledged to myself, “Just as those droplets will eventually bore a hole through a boulder, the day will certainly come when these hot tears that fall from my eyes will melt God’s heart that is frozen in grief and bring Him liberation and release.” (May 1, 2004)
God has the mind to forbear with patience, in order to one day embrace the satanic world and even hell. That is why even the demons in hell will bow their heads before His presence. Therefore, if you desire to become champions at the last, the Father’s sons and daughters at the last, then in your minds and bodies you must feel God’s patience as your patience and God’s endurance as your endur-ance. (4:243, May 18, 1958)
Father, what Thou doest, we Thy children should do,
and on the path Thou goest, we too must go—it is a destined way.
Therefore, please do not allow us to become exhausted on the way,
and give us unwavering hearts… to persevere and endure
until the day we can receive the blessing,
the day of Sabbath when Thou canst say,
“You have won the victory, and you are Mine;
all heaven and earth belong to you,
My sons and daughters.” (13:236, March 22, 1964)
