Mind, Character, and Personality Vol. 2 - Second Advent Revival

anyone; and thus his life is made wretched. The more he thinks thus, the more
miserable he makes his life and the lives of all around him. {2MCP 488.3}
He has no reason to feel as he does; it is all the work of Satan. He must not suffer
the enemy thus to control his mind. He should turn away from the dark and gloomy
picture to that of the loving Saviour, the glory of heaven, and the rich inheritance
prepared for all who are humble and obedient and who possess grateful hearts and
abiding
489
faith in the promises of God. This will cost him an effort, a struggle; but it must be done.
Your present happiness and your future, eternal happiness depend upon your fixing
your mind upon cheerful things, looking away from the dark picture, which is imaginary,
to the benefits which God has strewn in your pathway, and beyond these, to the unseen
and eternal.--1T 703, 704 (1868). {2MCP 488.4}
The Fruits of Gloomy Forebodings.--Your life is now miserable, full of evil
forebodings. Gloomy pictures loom up before you; dark unbelief has enclosed you. By
talking on the side of unbelief you have grown darker and darker; you take satisfaction
in dwelling upon unpleasant themes. If others try to talk hopefully, you crush out in them
every hopeful feeling by talking all the more earnestly and severely. Your trials and
afflictions are ever keeping before your wife the soul-harrowing thought that you
consider her a burden because of her illness. If you love darkness and despair, talk of
them, dwell upon them, and harrow up your soul by conjuring up in your imagination
everything you can to cause you to murmur against your family and against God, and
make your own heart like a field which the fire has passed over, destroying all verdure
and leaving it dry, blackened, and crisped.--1T 699 (1868). {2MCP 489.1}
Overcoming Emotional Instability.--You belong to a family who possess minds not
well balanced, gloomy and depressed, affected by surroundings, and susceptible to
influences. Unless you cultivate a cheerful, happy, grateful frame of mind, Satan will
eventually lead you captive at his will. You can be a help, a strength to the church
where you reside, if you will obey the instructions of the Lord and not move by feeling,
but be controlled by principle. Never allow censure to escape your lips, for it is like
desolating hail to those around you. Let cheerful, happy, loving words fall from your
lips.--1T 704 (1868).
490 {2MCP 489.2}
No Need to be a Slave to Depression.--Remember that in your life religion is not to
be merely one influence among others. It is to be an influence dominating all others. Be
strictly temperate. Resist every temptation. Make no concessions to the wily foe. Listen
not to the suggestions that he puts into the mouths of men and women. You have a
victory to win. You have nobility of character to gain; but this you cannot gain while you
are depressed and discouraged by failure. Break the bands with which Satan has