A person with confidence in God's provision need not bother about worldly cares. God is in control and will perform His purpose regardless of what people may do.
Why should we be anxious about money or having life’s necessities, when at any moment God can provide what we need?
Why should we be anxious about the results of our efforts, when God is the Shaper of destinies?
Even the prospect of death is of little import from the standpoint of eternal life. Jesus tells us that God, who provides for the birds of the air and lilies of the field, will provide for us as well, as long as we “seek His Kingdom and His righteousness.” In other words, the key to experiencing the peace of God is to have a selfless mindset and live utterly for His sake.
Father Moon’s particular understanding of God’s provision adds the dimension of mutuality: As God provides for human needs, He longs to find people who will comfort Him by concerning themselves about His needs and His situation.
Thus, Father Moon experienced God calling him to share in His suffering. When through such experiences we experience God’s bitter heart, we recognize that our sadness and worry over our personal situation pales in comparison to God’s sadness and worry over us.
Our greatest satisfaction, then, is to comfort God even amid our own suffering. In such times, we can feel assurance and support coming from God’s deepest heart.
Sun Myung Moon
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food and clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we wear?” For the gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Matthew 6.25-33
How many animals do not carry their own provision? God provides for them and for you. He is Alert, Aware. Qur’an 29.60
In the Changes it is said, “If a man is agitated in mind, and his thoughts go hither and thither, only those friends on whom he fixes his conscious thoughts will follow” [Hexagram 31: Influence]. The Master said, “What need has nature of thought and care? In nature all things return to their common source and are distributed along different paths; through one action, the fruits of a hundred thoughts are realized. What need has nature of thought, of care?” I Ching, Great Commentary 2.5.1 (Confucianism)
My Lord, boundless as The sun and moon Lighting heaven and earth; How then can I have concerns About what is to be? Manyoshu 20 (Shinto)
Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4.11-13
Those who surrender to God all selfish attachments are like the leaf of a lotus floating clean and dry in water. Sin cannot touch them. Renouncing their selfish attachments, those who follow the path of service work with body, senses, and mind for the sake of self-purification. Those whose consciousness is unified abandon all attachment to the results of action and attain supreme peace. Bhagavad-Gita 5.10-12 (Hinduism)
The Exalted One said to Bhaddiya, “Bhaddiya, what motive have you, who are wont to resort to forest-dwelling, to the roots of trees, to lonely spots, in exclaiming, ‘Ah! ‘tis bliss! Ah! ‘tis bliss!’?” “Formerly, sir, when I enjoyed the bliss of royalty as a householder, within my palace guards were set and outside my palace guards were set. So also in the district and outside. Thus, sir, though guarded and protected, I dwelt fearful, anxious, trembling, and afraid. But now, sir, as I resort to forest-dwelling, to the roots of trees, to lonely spots, though alone, I am fearless, assured, confident, and unafraid. I live at ease, unstartled, lightsome, with heart like that of some wild creature. This, sir, was the motive I have for exclaiming, ‘Ah! ‘tis bliss! Ah! ‘tis bliss!’” Udana 19-20 (Buddhism)
We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8.28
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives His beloved sleep. Psalm 127.1-2
One who has a true hold on life, when he walks on land does not meet tigers or wild buffaloes; in battle weapons of war do not touch him. Indeed, a buffalo that attacked him would find nothing for his horns to butt, a tiger would find nothing for its claws to tear, a weapon would find no place for its blade to lodge. Why? Because such men have no “death-spot” in them. Tao Te Ching 50 (Taoism)
Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4.6
Should the lord bestow His might on the tiny ant, Hordes million strong it may destroy. Whomsoever He Himself sends not to death, He guards by the strength of His arm. Despite all his efforts, All man’s endeavors turn fruitless. None other is savior or destroyer: He Himself is guardian of all beings. Thou man! why all this anxiety? Says Nanak, Contemplate Him who is beyond thy understanding, Who is so wonderful. Adi Granth, Gauri Sukhmani 17, M.5, p. 285-86 (Sikhism)
The man who has had his feet cut off in punishment discards his fancy clothes—because praise and blame no longer touch him. The chained convict climbs the highest peak without fear— because he has abandoned all thoughts of life and death. These two are submissive and unashamed because they have forgotten other men, and by forgetting other men they have become men of Heaven. You may treat such men with respect and they will not be pleased; you may treat them with contumely and they will not be angry. Only because they are one with the Heavenly Harmony can they be like this.8 Chuang Tzu 23 (Taoism)
When a drunken man falls from a carriage, though the carriage may be going very fast, he won’t be killed. He has bones and joints the same as other men, and yet he is not injured as they would be, because his spirit is whole. He didn’t know he was riding, and he didn’t know he has fallen out. Life and death, alarm and terror do not enter his breast, and so he can bang against things without fear of injury. If he can keep himself whole like this by means of wine, how much more can a man keep himself whole by means of Heaven! The sage hides himself in Heaven— hence there is nothing that can do him harm.9 Chuang Tzu 19 (Taoism)
Sun Myung Moon
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
People in the everyday world can purchase a home, appliances, and furniture and live a comfortable life just by working eight hours a day.
We Unificationists work 24 hours a day, yet we do not own our own homes and barely have enough money to live on… Yet under these circumstances, are we in despair? No, we live in hope.
That is our pride. It is the same with me, Reverend Moon. What do you think I am proud of? It is that I am afraid of nothing. There is nothing in heaven or on earth that I am afraid of, because my efforts are entirely for [God’s Will]. How bold! (107:83, April 6, 1980)
Do not do anything for the sake of yourself, but think how to live for the sake of God, heaven and earth, your nation, your tribe, your family, and your spouse.
If you live for others, you will be elevated into the perfect world. Even if you try to escape and retreat because you think you have been too self-centered, you will be dragged into heaven.
How peaceful! How trouble-free! If you live your life centered on yourself, you are anxious about everything, saying, “Alas, I failed! I failed!” However, if you live for the sake of others for ten or twenty years, everyone will be your friend. If you live for the sake of others, your heart will become empty, and the truth will come to you. (203:102, June 17, 1990)
God teaches you when your spirit is joyful and shining like daylight. That is why you should strive to have a bright spirit. Always be grateful. Whenever something is troubling you, it is best to resolve it right away.
Why should you make this effort?
It is to reduce the gap between God and yourself. Therefore, rather than lamenting over your difficulties by yourself, it is better to have a religion.
Report your problems to Heaven: “O God, please take my situation under Thy care. Thou knowest my situation, so deal with the matter as Thou wilt.” With this prayer, you can release all your cares. That is the life of a religious person. Try to live this way, and you can have many hours in communion with God. Then, regardless of your present situation, you can always find hope. (91:272-73, February 27, 1977)
Where people gather with others, though they try to resolve matters, things become complicated again. But where people gather centered on Heaven, the matters that have formed knots in people’s minds are solved. (7:13, July 5, 1959)
When you are raising funds or witnessing, or whatever you do, if you do it with prayer and a heart of devotion, you will be shown in advance what kind of person you will meet.
You set out to go somewhere, but you mysteriously desire to go to a place you had not intended to go. There you meet a person whom God loves. Having these experiences, can you possibly say that God does not exist? (69:288, January 1, 1974)
[When I was beaten in prison,] I lost so much blood that I was more dead than alive. How did I survive? I did not pray to God, asking, “Father, please let me live.” I was determined not to show weakness even at the point of death. Furthermore, I am not a common weakling.
Likewise, I prayed, “Father, even if I die, I die for Thee. Do not worry about me.” Not even once did I pray, asking God to deliver me from suffering. God already knew my suffering. (93:321, June 12, 1977)
Sun Myung Moon