毕业第一年，也是工作的第一年。工作和学习很相似，都要完成每天当做的事，却各有不同的体会。

It’s my first year since graduation. This also marked my first year at work. Work and studies are similar. Both have tasks which need to be completed by the end of the day. But they also have their own unique experiences.

记得刚上大学时，离开父母的管教，我开始沉迷于电脑游戏。整天坐在电脑面前玩游戏，连吃饭都顾不上，甚至后来连学校都懒得去。那时游戏对我的吸引，大过一切，我完全沉浸在游戏中，成了我生活的中心，走路吃饭睡觉无时无刻都想着，就连写作业的时候也一边写一边玩。我意识到不应该是这么颓废的状态，心里斗争非常激烈。但是每当我想着不玩，尝试脱离游戏的“魔掌”时，游戏就会更新并且推出一些新的活动，再次把我完完全全拉了回去，一头陷在虚拟的世界里，日复一日。渐渐的，游戏世界里带来的满足和成就感，把我整个人都支配了。

I remember how I left my parents’ supervision when I went to university and quickly became obsessed with gaming. I would spend the entire day sitting in front of the computer playing, not even bothering with my meals. Later, I didn’t even go to class. Gaming was more important than anything at the time. I was totally hooked on it; it was the centre of my life.  I would think about it when I walked around, when I ate, and when I slept. I would even do my homework and play games at the same time. I knew that I shouldn’t be wasting my time like this. There was a struggle in my heart. But every time I wanted to stop playing and free myself from the control of computer games, there would be a new update and new events introduced, and I would be pulled in once again. My days would be wasted, day after day. Gradually, the sense of satisfaction and success from gaming totally ruled my life.

直到有一天，我抬头看见曾经自己在电脑旁边墙上贴着的一句经文：“你要祷告他，他就听你，你也要还你的愿。”忽然回想起神过去在我生命里大大小小的恩典，又想想自己现在这么消沉、没意思的生命状态。带着愧疚和后悔的心情，我开始向神祷告，求神帮助我脱离游戏的捆绑，给我能力战胜游戏带来的诱惑。

Then one day, I lifted up my head to see a Bible verse I once stuck on the wall next to my computer: ‘You will pray to Him, and He will hear you; And you will pay your vows.’ All the grace God gave me in the past, big and small, suddenly came to mind. Then I also reflected on my futile state at the time. Feeling ashamed and regretful, I started to pray to God to help me break from the bondage of gaming, to give me power to overcome the temptation of these games. 

那是一个非常奇妙的经历，从小接触教会的我，第一次开始认真思考生命的意义，思考我所认识的神和我每天的生活有多大的关系，而随着这些反思，我对生活有了更广阔的看见和对生命意义的追求。体会到整天玩游戏是辜负神和周围人对我的爱，于是下定决心不再贪玩游戏。渐渐地，我的心不再整天围绕着游戏了，靠着神，我打赢了这场面对诱惑的征战，那时内心感受到无比的轻松自由，这是神所应许给我们的丰盛生命，自由快乐，与打游戏的短暂刺激快感绝对不能相提并论。

It was a very amazing experience. Although I went to church from young, it was the first time I seriously pondered on the meaning of life, about the connection between the God I knew and my everyday life. From these reflections, I started to have a broader understanding of life and a pursuit to the meaning of life. I knew that playing computer all day really let down God and those who loved me. I determined no longer to play so much. Gradually, my heart wasn’t thinking of computer games all the time. By God’s grace, I won this battle against temptation. The lightness in my heart, the freedom and joy – God’s promise of abundant life, you can’t compare the short-lived excitement from playing computer games with it.

时间飞逝，转眼间已经毕业一年了，有了一份工作，有了一些收入，面对钱财，多多少少是有诱惑的。想着积累更多的钱财，不仅可以生活的更加舒适，对于未知的未来，也能带来安全感。脑海里想象着存款逐渐增加的场景，能察觉到自己又开始心动了，要被掳去了。这次，赚得全世界，要成为我的目标吗？我要试图用金钱来安抚我的心灵吗？而是否金钱要慢慢支配我的心，主导我的人生方向吗？

Time flies and it is already a year after graduation. I have a job and an income, and with money comes some temptation. There are thoughts of accumulating more wealth, which would not only bring a more comfortable lifestyle, but also a sense of security in face of an unknown future. The thought of my savings increasing would float into my mind. I could sense my heart was attracted to the idea. Was gaining the world going to become my goal? Was I going to use money to comfort my heart? And was riches going to slowly take up my heart and determine my life direction ahead?

一天晚上，抬头仰望繁星点缀的夜空。注视一颗明亮的星点，突然想象星光从遥不可及的宇宙深处发出，经历漫长岁月来到地球，在每个夜晚分毫不差地出现在天空中，从不落空。抬头横扫一遍夜空，所看到每一个亮点，似乎都小得像桌布上的一颗颗灰尘。却实际上，几乎所有亮点都是像太阳那样的恒星，比地球大成千上万倍。地上我们眼前的所有，貌似很大，却其实都不足以和夜空最小的星星相比。神透过天上的星星给了我启示，告诉我：在人眼前看为宝贵的财富、物质，自己拼搏换来短暂的喜乐，快感，安全感，和神亲自应许给人的丰盛生命相比，差了太多。

One night, I lifted my head and looked at the numerous stars in the sky. As I gazed at one bright star, it suddenly came to mind how the light of the star emerged from the depth of a faraway unreachable galaxy, and travelled a long time to the earth, appearing unfailingly at its position in the night sky. As I looked across the night sky, each shining dot looked as small as the specks of dust on a tablecloth. But in reality, almost all the shining specks are stars as great as the sun, thousands and millions times greater than the planet earth. The things on the surface of the world appear pretty big in front of our eyes, but are in reality incomparable to the smallest star. God used the stars in the sky to tell me something: What appears so precious before man’s eyes – riches, materialistic things, the short-term joy, excitement and sense of security – all which we strive so hard for are in fact unmatchable to the abundant life God promised mankind. 

回想起过去电脑游戏怎么夺走了我的心，到神怎样带领我脱离游戏所带来的诱惑，让我体会到无比快乐轻省，这一次面对金钱的试探，内心更加坚定有力。我知道世上的钱财，和创造主亲自的应许相比，实在相距甚远。不禁又想起神对亚伯拉罕的应许，也是关于星星的，这次是使他的后裔多如天上的星，海边的沙。（创22：17）。神真的实现了他的承诺。

When I thought back of how computer games once stole away my heart, and how God brought me out of bondage from the temptation, allowing me to experience this unparalleled joy and freedom, my heart was more determined this time in face of the attraction of money. I knew that the riches of the world cannot be compared to the Creator’s promises to me. God’s promise to Abraham also came into my mind. That promise was also about stars, about his descendants being more numerous than the stars in the sky, the sand by the sea (Gen. 22:17). God kept His promise.

忍受试探的人是有福的，

因为他经过试验以后，必得生命的冠冕；

这是主应许给那些爱他之人的。 

(雅各书1:12 和合本)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

(James 1:12, NASB)

面对神亲自在夜空下的鼓励，让我决心放下对于金钱的执著、胜过金钱的诱惑。同时神也激励我更加期待每天的工作，在工作中更加积极努力，但这不是为了积攒不定的钱财，而是荣耀那带我脱离金钱试探的天父。

With God’s encouragement under the night sky, I decided to let go of my preoccupation with money, overcoming the temptation of riches. At the same time, God also encouraged me to look forward to each day of work, and to be more diligent at the workplace, but this was not to earn more perishable money, but to bring glory to my Heavenly Father who freed me from the temptation of riches.

拨开私欲诱惑的迷雾，得见神所预备的赏赐，就像繁星一样，从不落空，也像天上每一颗亮点，大过地上的一切。

Dispersing the illusion of desires and temptations, we will see the promises God has prepared for us. They’re like the numerous stars in the sky, unfailing, and like the bright specks in the sky, greater than anything on the earth.

《完》

（注：部分图片来自网络，版权归原作者所有）