Chapter 55—Pain
Not God Who Causes Pain—Show that it is not God who causes
pain and suffering, but that man through his own ignorance and sin
has brought this condition upon himself.—
Testimonies for the Church
6:280
(1900).
Sin Has Produced Pain—The continual transgression of man for
six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruits.
And as we near the close of time, Satan’s temptation to indulge appetite
will be more powerful and more difficult to overcome.—
Testimonies
for the Church 3:492
(1875).
Aches and Pains Nature’s Protest—Many are living in violation
of the laws of health and are ignorant of the relation their habits of
eating, drinking, and working sustain to their health. They will not
arouse to their true condition until nature protests against the abuses
she is suffering, by aches and pains in the system. If even then the
sufferers would only commence the work right, and would resort to
the simple means they have neglected—the use of water and proper
diet—nature would have just the help she requires and which she
ought to have had long before. If this course is pursued, the patient
will generally recover without being debilitated.—
Healthful Living,
61
, 1865 (Part 3). (
Selected Messages 2:451
.)
[511]
Intemperance Causes Suffering—Many are so devoted to intem-
perance that they will not change their course of indulging in gluttony
under any considerations. They would sooner sacrifice health and die
prematurely than to restrain their intemperate appetite. And there are
many who are ignorant of the relation their eating and drinking has to
health. Could such be enlightened, they might have moral courage to
deny the appetite and eat more sparingly and of that food alone which
was healthful, and by their own course of action save themselves a
great amount of suffering.—4SG 130, 1864. (
Counsels on Diet and
Foods, 158
.)
Pain Caused by Restoring Processes—Pain is frequently caused
by the effort of nature to give life and vigor to those parts that have be-
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