(Clearwisdom.net) For an everyday person, confidence is very important. It is even more so for a cultivator. Lack of confidence serves no advantage. The essence of a practitioner's confidence lies in the firm belief in Master and Dafa.
I have noticed that some practitioners show a clear lack of confidence. They say such things as, "I am not very diligent in cultivation; I have not done the three things well; I am probably not a cultivator anymore; I am probably truly sick this time; Master is probably not going to take care of me anymore; I have to go to the hospital and take medicine."
We know from the Fa that matter and mind are one thing and cultivation relies on steadfast belief. One's thoughts are critical. Although you may not have been diligent and you have not done much of the three things, one thing you have to be absolutely clear about is this: "I am a cultivator and this is not an illness!" Then, sickness symptoms will truly not be an illness. This is a cultivator's thought, which other people do not have. One who holds such a thought is above a human. Can you still call it illness? Will Master not take care of genuine disciples?
You should think this way: "Although I have not been diligent, I am still a cultivator. It is not an illness but a test for me. I have recognized and seen through it. It is not an illness, so why do I need medication?" What are righteous thoughts? This is a righteous thought. This is righteous enlightenment. Completely let go of your attachments, unmoved by anything. Then see what happens - absolutely nothing.
Some fellow practitioners also think, "I am not cultivating very well; I do not act like a cultivator; I probably will not succeed in cultivation; I am not cultivating anymore." Thus, he gives up.
In this enormous maze, you have persisted 'till today under the huge interference and obstruction of colossal factors of the universe. You have come a long way on the path of cultivation. You have done so much of what a Dafa practitioner should do. You have let go of so many attachments. How is it that you do not have the confidence to keep on cultivating?
Even with your wildest thoughts, can you really imagine how enormous Master's compassion is? Do you truly understand the "Buddha's Infinite Grace"? What do you know about cultivation? Do you know what it takes to succeed in cultivation? One should believe in Master and Dafa under any circumstances! As long as Fa-rectification is not over, Master still provides opportunities, even to the spies and those practitioners who made grave mistakes. Why is it that you do not cherish the opportunities and take care of yourself? Why not have faith in Master and Dafa, believe in yourself and steadfastly cultivate yourself until the end.
Still there are some practitioners who have no confidence in sending forth righteous thoughts: "You have cultivated well and your righteous thoughts are powerful and effective; I have not cultivated well and my righteous thoughts are not powerful and have no impact, so I will not do it anymore and I will leave it to you."
When one cultivates in Dafa, one can elevate oneself very fast and to extremely high levels. One possesses many diverse abilities. Now that you have cultivated for so long, you probably have reached a very high level. Furthermore, your gong is not taken down prior to complete enlightenment. What kind of dark minions or wicked deities cannot be eliminated? It is all quite easy to eliminate them. Why do you not have confidence in yourself?
As a practitioner, one should remember what is the most fundamental: I will persist until the end and will not give up halfway. All that interferes in my doing the three things are demons. All that distracts my persistence to the end are interferences. All that makes me waver in cultivation are bad things. I will keep on cultivating even if I have not cultivated well. This is righteous enlightenment; this is righteous belief; this is righteous thought. All that disturbs your confidence is not you. Never regard it as yourself. It is there to destroy you.