Sinfulness of Repining
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You are making a mistake, which, if not corrected, will not end
with wrecking your own happiness merely. You are doing positive
injury, not only to yourself, but to the other members of your family,
and especially your mother. She is very nervous and highly sensitive.
If one of her children is suffering, she becomes confused and almost
distracted. Her mind is becoming unbalanced by the frequent fits of
hysteria which she is compelled to witness, and great unhappiness is
brought upon all around you. And yet you are capable of controlling
your imagination and overcoming these nervous attacks. You have
will power, and you should bring it to your aid. You have not done
this, but have let your highly wrought imagination control reason. In
this you have grieved the Spirit of God. Had you no power over your
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feelings, this would not be sin; but it will not answer thus to yield to
the enemy. Your will needs to be sanctified and subdued instead of
being arrayed in opposition to that of God.
My dear friends, instead of taking a course to baffle disease, you
are petting it and yielding to its power. You should avoid the use of
drugs and carefully observe the laws of health. If you regard your life
you should eat plain food, prepared in the simplest manner, and take
more physical exercise. Each member of the family needs the benefits
of health reform. But drugging should be forever abandoned; for while
it does not cure any malady, it enfeebles the system, making it more
susceptible to disease.
Man has been placed in a world of sorrow, care, and perplexity.
He is placed here to be tested and proved, as were Adam and Eve, that
he may develop a right character and bring harmony out of discord
and confusion. There is much for us to do that is essential to our
own happiness and that of others. And there is much for us to enjoy.
Through Christ we are brought into connection with God. His mercies
place us under continual obligation; feeling unworthy of His favors,
we are to appreciate even the least of them.
For all that you have and are, dear friends, you are indebted to
God. He has given you powers that, to a certain extent, are similar
to those which He Himself possesses; and you should labor earnestly
to develop these powers, not to please and exalt self, but to glorify
Him. You have not improved your privileges to the best advantage.
You should educate yourselves to bear responsibilities. Intellect must
be cultivated; if left to rust from inaction it will become debased.