Laws Governing the Mind
41
of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his loftiest ideal, he will
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never attain to anything more exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink
lower and lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt man.
Left to himself, his course must inevitably be downward.—
The Great
Controversy, 555
(1888).
The Law of Substitute Desire—Great harm is done by a lack of
firmness and decision. I have known parents to say, You cannot have
this or that, and then relent, thinking that they may be too strict, and
give the child the very thing they at first refused. A lifelong injury is
thus inflicted. It is an important law of the mind—one which should
not be overlooked—that when a desired object is so firmly denied as
to remove all hope, the mind will soon cease to long for it and will be
occupied in other pursuits. But as long as there is any hope of gaining
the desired object, an effort will be made to obtain it.—
The Signs of
the Times, February 9, 1882
. (
Child Guidance, 283, 284
.)
Convictions Seek Expression—It is a law of God that whoever
believes the truth as it is in Jesus will make it known. The ideas and
convictions of the individual mind will seek for expression. Whoever
cherishes unbelief and criticism, whoever feels capable of judging the
work of the Holy Spirit, will diffuse the spirit by which he is animated.
It is the nature of unbelief and infidelity and resistance of the grace
of God to make themselves felt and heard. The mind actuated by
these principles is always striving to make a place for itself and obtain
adherents. All who walk by the side of an apostate will be imbued by
his spirit to share with others their thoughts and the result of their own
inquiries, and the feelings which prompted their action; for it is not an
easy matter to repress the principles upon which we act.—SpT Series
A, No. 6, p 39, July 6, 1896. (
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel
Workers, 290, 291
.)
Expression Strengthens Thoughts and Feelings—It is a law of
nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened
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as we give them utterance. While words express thoughts, it is also
true that thoughts follow words. If we would give more expression to
our faith, rejoice more in the blessings that we know we have—the
great mercy and love of God—we should have more faith and greater
joy. No tongue can express, no finite mind can conceive, the blessing
that results from appreciating the goodness and love of God. Even
on earth we may have joy as a wellspring, never failing, because fed