MH page 251

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10 .

Believers are exhorted not to fear because God promises His presence, strength, help, and upholding righteousness. This is a direct biblical quotation providing spiritual encouragement.

“Ye that have been borne by Me from your birth, That have been carried by Me from your earliest breath, Even to your old age I am the same; Even to hoar hairs I will carry you; I have done it, and I will still bear you; I will carry, and I will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:3, 4 , Noyes.

God sustains His people from birth through old age, promising continued care, carriage, and deliverance. This paragraph consists of scriptural poetry expressing lifelong divine sustenance.

Nothing tends more to promote health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise. It is a positive duty to resist melancholy, discontented thoughts and feelings—as much a duty as it is to pray. If we are heaven-bound, how can we go as a band of mourners, groaning and complaining all along the way to our Father's house?

Gratitude and praise promote physical and spiritual health, while resisting melancholy is a spiritual duty. The passage asserts a direct physiological and spiritual benefit from gratitude and frames the resistance of negative emotions as a religious duty.

Those professed Christians who are constantly complaining, and who seem to think cheerfulness and happiness a sin, have not genuine religion. Those who take a mournful pleasure in all that is melancholy in the natural world, who choose to look upon dead leaves rather than to gather the beautiful living flowers, who see no beauty in grand mountain heights and in valleys clothed with living green, who close their senses to the joyful voice which speaks to them in nature, and which is sweet and musical to the listening ear—these are not in Christ. They are gathering to themselves gloom and darkness, when they might have brightness, even the Sun of Righteousness arising in their hearts with healing in His beams.

True religion rejects constant complaining and gloominess, embracing instead the beauty of nature and spiritual light. This is a theological and ethical evaluation of Christian character and disposition rather than a medical claim.

Often your mind may be clouded because of pain. Then do not try to think. You know that Jesus loves you. He understands your weakness. You may do His will by simply resting in His arms.

When the mind is clouded by physical pain, individuals should rest in the assurance of Jesus' love rather than forced thinking. Offers pastoral encouragement and spiritual coping strategies during physical suffering.

It is a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened 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 by the streams that flow from the throne of God.

Thoughts and feelings are reinforced by vocal expression, so expressing faith and joy increases faith and joy. Presents a behavioral principle regarding the feedback loop between spoken words and internal mental states.