Section 9—Interrelationship of Body and Mind
Chapter 42—Mind and Health (Part 2)
Fruit of a Listless, Dreamy Mind (counsel to a young woman)—You have a diseased imagination. You have thought yourself diseased, but this has been more imaginary than real. You have been untrue to yourself…. You appeared like a person without a backbone. You were half reclining upon others, which is a wrong position for a lady to occupy in the presence of others. If you had only thought so, you could have walked as well and sat as erect as many others.
The condition of your mind leads to indolence and to a dread of exercise, when this exercise would prove one of the greatest means of your recovery. You will never recover unless you lay aside this listless, dreamy condition of mind and arouse yourself to do, to work while the day lasts. Do, as well as imagine and plan. Turn your mind away from romantic projects. You mingle with your religion a romantic, lovesick sentimentalism, which does not elevate, but only lowers. It is not you alone who is affected; others are injured by your example and influence.—Testimonies for the Church 2:248, 249 (1869).
Health Sacrificed to Feelings (counsel to a woman of strong will)—Dear _____, you have a diseased imagination; and you dishonor God by allowing your feelings to have complete control of your reason and judgment. You have a determined will, which causes the mind to react upon the body, unbalancing the circulation and producing congestion in certain organs; and you are sacrificing health to your feelings.—Testimonies for the Church 5:310 (1873).
Mental Illness Produced by Unsanctified Tongues (comments on the death of the wife of an executive)—Sister _____ was so weighted down with sorrow that she lost her reason. I ask, Who, in the day of judgment, will be held responsible for putting out the light of that mind that should be shining today? Who will be accountable in the day of God for the work that caused the distress which brought on this sickness? She suffered for months, and the husband suffered with her. And now the poor woman has gone, leaving two motherless children. All this because of the work done by unsanctified tongues.—Manuscript 54, 1904.
Overtaxed Mind Impairs Health—Brethren have invested means in patent rights and other enterprises and have induced others to interest themselves, who could not bear the perplexity and care of such business. Their anxious, overtaxed minds seriously affect their already diseased bodies, and they then yield to despondency, which increases to despair. They lose all confidence in themselves and think that God has forsaken them, and they dare not believe that He will be merciful to them.—Testimonies for the Church 1:304, 305 (1862).
Mental Activity Produces Health—God wants His delegated servants to be good preachers, and in order to do this they must be diligent students…. Studious habits, a firm hold from above, will qualify them for their position as ministers of the gospel of Christ. Mental activity will produce health, and this is better than a sluggish, disorderly, untrained mind. Many become worthless as ministers after advancing in age…. Had they worked the brain, they would have been fruitful in old age.—Letter 33, 1886.
Electrical Force of Brain Resists Disease—The minds of thinking men labor too hard. They frequently use their mental powers prodigally, while there is another class whose highest aim in life is physical labor. The latter class do not exercise the mind. Their muscles are exercised while their brains are robbed of intellectual strength, just as the minds of thinking men are worked while their bodies are robbed of strength and vigor by their neglect to exercise the muscles….
Their influence for good is small in comparison to what it might be if they would use their brains as well as their muscles. This class fall more readily if attacked by disease; the system is vitalized by the electrical force of the brain to resist disease.—Testimonies for the Church 3:157 (1872).
Discontented Repinings Bring Sickness—That which brings sickness of body and mind to nearly all is dissatisfied feelings and discontented repinings. They have not God, they have not the hope which reaches to that within the veil, which is as an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast. All who possess this hope will purify themselves even as He is pure. Such are free from restless longings, repinings, and discontent; they are not continually looking for evil and brooding over borrowed trouble. But we see many who are having a time of trouble beforehand; anxiety is stamped upon every feature; they seem to find no consolation, but have a continual fearful looking for of some dreadful evil.—Testimonies for the Church 1:566 (1867).
Unrestful Attitude Detrimental to Health (counsel to a disturbed woman)—The Lord has love for you, and care for you, and while your husband is not always with you, yet you have excellent companionship right on the premises where your house is built. Do not keep your mind in an unrestful attitude; for this is detrimental to your health. You must realize that no one is capable of composing your mind but your individual self.
You are too ready to look on the discouraging side. This has been a weakness in your character. It hurts your experience and gives a sad complexion to your husband’s experience.
You brood too much. Whatever you can do to divert your mind from your individual self, in any line of employment, do it. You are to appreciate the great gift to our world of Jesus Christ, and you may expect much peace and comfort and love exercised to keep your mind in perfect peace. Every believer is to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and that righteousness speaks better things than the blood of Abel.—Letter 294, 1906.
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/78.134#149
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for teaching us how intimately connected is the body and mind. Please bless us to follow Your guidance in their harmonious development. that we can be truly transformed to share Your love to those around us. With the right motives, we can be used of Your Holy Spirit to be a blessing. Thank You for the privilege of prayer and for knowing that through the name of Your Son we may expect what we ask, because we ask according to Your will and to be in communion with Jesus. Please bless us to commit to doing right with the motive of divine love: overcoming every tendency to sin against You. Please grant to us a pure, wholesome, consistent Christian life, which is obtained by daily studying Your Word, the Holy Bible, under the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, to behold and reflect the character of Jesus to each other first and to the world. Like Jesus, please bless us to not be conformed to this world, but to be truly transformed into the persons You would have us be, working fully in the service of King Jesus. Please bless us truly to contemplate the life of Christ and to allow Your Word to develop within us that true religion, borne of love, which ennobles the mind, refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and makes us patient partakers of the vibrant health, purity, and holiness of Heaven. Because we ask all these in the Awesome name of Your Son, Almighty Jesus the Christ, our Savior, we say Thank You and Amen.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:.—Philippians 2:5 KJV —The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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Do you feel sorrowful, disconnected—without a place to feel at home or useful? I pray this might show you the way forward. Watch…
https://www.youtube.com/live/2QB6fcwVuws?si=fsEvZU-rkI-BngfD
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Thursday, Aug. 20: “Which Herbs and Supplements to Use and For What”
*Exception: $10 for any cooking class
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I coordinate wonderful health and worship events and conferences online and onsite as a gospel medical missionary at Uchee Pines, a total plant-based health retreat, where doctors and practitioners specialize in lifestyle medicine. For event details, visit https://www.ucheepines.org/events
Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
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