 As a young man , Van Gogh was interested in pursuing ministry to serve working people . He studied for a time in the Netherlands but his zeal and self @-@ imposed asceticism cost him a short @-@ term position in lay ministry . He became somewhat embittered and rejected the church establishment , yet found a personal spirituality that was comforting and important to him . By 1879 , he made a shift in the direction of his life and found he could express his " love of God and man " through painting . 
