Crowd Out the Evil With Good.--Parents can choose, if they will, whether or not their children's minds shall be filled with pure and holy thoughts and sentiments, but their tastes must be disciplined and educated with the greatest care. They must commence early to unfold the Scriptures before the expanding minds of their children that proper habits and tastes may be formed. . . . The elements of evil cannot be exterminated except by the introduction of food for pure, solid thought.--RH, Nov 9, 1886.
Avoid Negative Thinking.--As we are not our own, as we are bought with a price, it is the duty of everyone who professes to be a Christian to keep his thoughts under the control of reason and oblige himself to be cheerful and happy. However bitter may be the cause of his grief, he should cultivate a spirit of rest and quietude in God. The restfulness which is in Christ Jesus, the peace of Christ, how precious, how healing its influence, how soothing to the oppressed soul! However dark his prospects, let him cherish a spirit to hope for good. While nothing is gained by despondency, much is lost. While cheerfulness and a calm resignation and peace will make others happy and healthy, it will be of the greatest benefit to oneself. Sadness and talking of disagreeable things is encouraging the disagreeable scenes, bringing back upon oneself the disagreeable effect. God wants us to forget all these--not look down but up, up!--Lt 1, 1883.
Peril of Dwelling on Earthly Things.--If your thoughts, your plans, your purposes, are all directed toward the accumulation of the things of earth, your anxiety, your study, your interests, will all be centered upon the world. The heavenly attractions will lose their beauty. . . . Your heart will be with your treasure. . . . You will have no time to devote to the study of the Scriptures and to earnest prayer that you may escape the snares of Satan.-- RH, Sept 1, 1910. 2MCP 662
Peace of mind means a healthy body Proverbs 14:30a (New Century Version)