"beside your path on every hand? Will you not let their beauty and sweetness fill your heart with joy? SC 117.1"
"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
Both passages encourage rejoicing and finding joy. The EGW passage speaks of beauty and sweetness filling the heart with joy, while the Psalm encourages rejoicing and being glad in the day the Lord has made.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."
Both passages highlight the beauty of God's creation and its ability to inspire awe and joy. Psalm 19:1 focuses on the heavens, while EGW speaks more generally of the beauty beside our path.
"O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."
Both passages encourage experiencing and appreciating God's goodness. The EGW passage speaks of beauty and sweetness filling the heart with joy, while the Psalm encourages tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. While not a direct quote, the sentiment aligns.
"The briers and thorns will only wound and grieve you; and if you gather only these things, and present them to others, are you not, besides slighting the goodness of God yourself, preventing those around you from walking in the path of life? SC 117.2"
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Both passages use the imagery of thorns and thistles to represent something negative that yields undesirable fruit. Matthew 7:16 uses it to illustrate discerning true prophets from false ones, while EGW uses it to describe the negative impact of focusing on the negative aspects of life and sharing them with others. The core idea of negative input yielding negative output is present in both.
"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;"
Both passages warn against allowing bitterness or negativity to take root and spread, causing harm to oneself and others. Hebrews 12:15 speaks of a 'root of bitterness' defiling many, while EGW speaks of 'briers and thorns' wounding and grieving, and preventing others from walking in the path of life. The underlying theme of preventing spiritual growth through negativity connects them.
"It is not wise to gather together all the unpleasant recollections of a past life,—its iniquities and disappointments,—to talk over them and mourn over them until we are overwhelmed with discouragement. A discouraged soul is filled with darkness, shutting out the light of God from his own soul and casting a shadow upon the pathway of others. SC 117.3"
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,"
Both passages address the importance of not dwelling on the past. EGW advises against dwelling on past iniquities and disappointments, while Paul focuses on forgetting what is behind and pressing forward.
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."
Both passages address discouragement and its impact on the soul. The Psalm directly questions the soul's downcast state, while EGW describes the effects of dwelling on negative thoughts, leading to discouragement. Both offer a solution: hope in God and avoiding dwelling on negativity, respectively.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
The EGW passage speaks of not casting a shadow on others, while Matthew 5:16 speaks of letting your light shine. There's a parallel in the impact one's state of mind has on others, but it's not a direct principle.