"Some of these had met with us from curiosity to hear what I had to say; others thought me beside myself to be so persistent in my efforts, especially when they manifested no concern on their own part. But at every one of our little meetings I continued to exhort and pray for each one separately, until every one had yielded to Jesus, acknowledging the merits of His pardoning love. Every one was converted to God. LS 41.3"
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
The EGW passage describes individuals who initially showed no concern but eventually yielded to Jesus through persistent effort and prayer. This mirrors the concept in 1 Corinthians 2:14, where the 'natural man' does not understand spiritual things. The EGW passage illustrates the transformation that occurs when the Spirit of God works in someone's life, overcoming their initial lack of understanding.
"And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul."
The EGW passage describes individuals who initially came out of curiosity or skepticism but were eventually converted. This is similar to the account of Lydia in Acts 16:14, whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul. Both passages highlight the role of God in opening hearts and leading people to conversion.