Section 11—Emotional Problems
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.)
Intemperance Causes Suffering—Many are so devoted to intemperance 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.—Spiritual Gifts 4a: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 become partially lifeless through inaction.—Testimonies for the Church 3:78 (1872).
Suffering Exaggerated by Mental Attitude (a personal message)—If you had denied your taste for reading and seeking to please yourself, had devoted more time to prudent physical exercise, and had eaten carefully of proper, healthful food, you would have avoided much suffering. A part of this suffering has been imaginary. If you had braced your mind to resist the disposition to yield to infirmities, you would not have had nervous spasms. Your mind should be drawn away from yourself to household duties, keeping your house with order, neatness, and taste.—Testimonies for the Church 2:434 (1870).
Sufferers Inclined to Become Impatient—The sufferers can do for themselves that which others cannot do as well for them. They should commence to relieve nature of the load they have forced upon her. They should remove the cause. Fast a short time, and give the stomach chance for rest. Reduce the feverish state of the system by a careful and understanding application of water. These efforts will help nature in her struggles to free the system of impurities.
But generally the persons who suffer pain become impatient. They are not willing to use self-denial, and suffer a little from hunger. Neither are they willing to wait the slow process of nature to build up the overtaxed energies of the system. But they are determined to obtain relief at once, and take powerful drugs.—Healthful Living, 60, 1865 (Part 3). (Selected Messages 2:450, 451.)
Suffering Over Which We Have No Control—There are those who are pure-minded and conscientious who are sufferers from different causes over which they have no control.—An Appeal to Mothers, 23 (1864). (Child Guidance, 445.)
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/78.718#718
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the amazing way in which you have created us mentally, physically, and spiritually. Please bless us to maintain the balance with which You intend for the best and highest use possible, according to Your divine purpose. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, please bless us to be all You would have us be and grant us the mind and love of Jesus that others might be drawn to You through how we live and what we say–that they may avoid needless suffering. 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…?
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. — 3 John 2 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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FREE HEALTH TALK* open to the public Thursdays at 5pm at Country Life Natural Foods Store and Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant, 1217 Eberhart Avenue, Columbus, GA.
Thursday, October 1: “Stress Relief, Part 1”
*Exception: $10 for any cooking class
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If you want to support Christian radio programming for these final days, please visit
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Thank you!!!
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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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where devotionals are first posted daily (almost without fail). From there devotionals are publicly shared to my page on FB, LinkedIn, and Signal (in My Story), and to a response-restricted group on WhatsApp (once again when I am able to find the time to successfully rebuild it).
NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
If you agree to continue receiving them, then this is my personal gift to you; and in this way, I not only honor God but the memory of a very dear friend whom I desperately miss.
My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
It is a prayerful process that leads me to share from my personal study.
So please feel free to forward to your loved ones or to anyone, as God leads you. I’m calling them Barb’s Devotionals.