Psalms 50:23 (NKJV) 23 "Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”
"Jesus bids us as a people, Go forward. There are higher attainments, a purer love, a deeper experience for us, if we will consecrate ourselves to God, and humbly take him at his word. The reason why we have no greater confidence and joy is that there is in us an evil heart of unbelief. Our Heavenly Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him than are earthly parents to give good gifts to their children. Let us shake off the spiritual paralysis that dishonors God and imperils our souls. If we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. We must not wait for better opportunities, for strong persuasions, or for holier tempers. We can do nothing of ourselves. We must trust to Jesus’ power to save. He is holding out to us the crown of life, and desires us to accept it. Let us come to him, just as we are, and we shall find a present help in our time of need. {ST March 16, 1882, par. 14} The sweet sense of sins forgiven, the light and love which Christ alone can give, fill the soul with subdued, solemn joy. The assurance that we are under the protection of Omnipotence imparts new courage and confidence, inspires a hope that is as an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast, entering into that within the vail. With this assurance we have a source of strength unknown before. Whatever the duty which God requires, we are ready cheerfully to perform it. So long as we have the presence of our Saviour, difficulties cannot dismay nor dangers appall us. If we were only as free to speak of the blessings we receive from God as we are to talk of doubts and discouragements, we would enjoy far more of his presence. “Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth God.” Let us praise God more, and complain less; let us talk of the love of Jesus, and his wondrous power, and we shall be brought nearer and nearer to our Saviour." {ST March 16, 1882, par. 15}
Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) 22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
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? Those professed Christians who constantly complain, and who seem to think that cheerfulness and happiness are a sin, do not have genuine religion. { MHH 138.1 } 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. { MHH 138.2 } 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. { MHH 138.3 } 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 would 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. { MHH 138.4 } Then let us educate our hearts and lips to speak the praise of God for His matchless love. Let us educate our souls to be hopeful and to abide in the light shining from the cross of Calvary. Never should we forget that we are children of the heavenly King, sons and daughters of the Lord of hosts. It is our privilege to maintain a calm repose in God. { MHH 138.5 } “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, ... and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15. Forgetting our own difficulties and troubles, let us praise God for an opportunity to live for the glory of His name. Let the fresh blessings of each new day awaken praise in our hearts for these tokens of His loving care. When you open your eyes in the morning, thank God that He has kept you through the night. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon, and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven. { MHH 138.6 } When someone asks how you are feeling, do not try to think of something mournful to tell in order to gain sympathy. Do not talk of your lack of faith and your sorrows and sufferings. The tempter delights to hear such words. When talking on gloomy subjects, you are glorifying him. We are not to dwell on the great power of Satan to overcome us. Often we give ourselves into his hands by talking of his power. Let us talk instead of the great power of God to bind up all our interests with His own. Tell of the matchless power of Christ, and speak of His glory. { MHH 139.1}
Mark 9:23-24 (NKJV) 23 "Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
"When we come to the hardest places, we may know that all heaven is interested and will bear us up, if we will not fail or be discouraged. Cling to the mighty One. Do not talk unbelief at all, because the more you talk unbelief the more unbelief you will have; and the more you talk darkness, the more darkness you will have; and the more you talk light, the more light you will have; and the more you talk faith, you will have faith."
– {1SAT 307.2}
Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
"Christ is represented by the vine that imparts the nourishment, the vitality, the life, the spirit, the power, [so] that the branch can bear fruit, and then when affliction and disappointment comes, you are to show altogether a different character of fruit than the world. There is the evidence that you are connected with Jesus Christ, and that there is a power that sustains you in all your afflictions and disappointments and trials; and this power and this grace sweetens every affliction. [When] the cup of suffering may be placed to your lips, there is a Comforter, and Helper. The cup of consolation is placed in the hand, and it may be the happiest period of your life." {Ms43-1894.3}
Matt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
"I hope you will encourage cheerfulness, thus showing that you have confidence in God. I want you to let your light shine in clear, distinct rays. There are many in our churches who have precious light that the people need. There are some who, if there is discouragement in any line, are sure to express this. This is not the right way to do. Those who do not work in hopefulness keep themselves under a cloud of doubt. The enemy is not dead yet, and the nearer we come to the close of this earth’s history, the more vigilant will be the efforts of satanic agencies to keep souls under a cloud of doubt, so that the light of heaven shall not be expressed in words and acts, to bring hope and cheer and courage to others. {Lt348-1908.3}
"You are not to wait for perfect assurance before you become the Lord’s light-bearer to the world. You have naturally a despondent temperament to deal with, and the Lord calls upon you to take your light from under the bushel, and let it give light to all that are in the house. You have precious victories to gain. Do not spoil your religious experience by dwelling upon the dark side and talking impossibility. Light is to shine in precious, encouraging words to all that are in the house. {Lt348-1908.4}
"Take heed, my brother, to the words of the One who is the light of the world: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16.] The world is full of hurry and disappointment. The words are addressed to you, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The words in favor of truth, spoken with the assurance that comes from the possession of a right purpose, and in cheerful hope, from a pure heart, will make the angels rejoice. When in the day of final awards the reward is given to each as his works have been, it is your privilege to have redeemed souls, whom you have been the means of helping, come to you, and say, “You lifted me out of discouragement.” And the Master will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant, ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” [Matthew 25:23.]" {Lt348-1908.5}
"Now and then you can break out in a song, and I have known it to do great good. When I have been where there was great opposition, the countenances of the people would change while I was singing. When the enemy tempts you to be grieved, strike right up with a song." {Ms69-1911.11}
"We will have to learn that trials mean benefit, and not be discouraged under them. The heart must be disciplined, faith must be cultivated, the soul’s endurance must be tested. The simplicity of faith and perfect confidence in God needs to be encouraged in our hearts. You must be constantly looking and talking on the bright side, and while the work of self-discipline must be carried on by every individual Christian, it must be in such a manner as to exalt and ennoble, and not to contract the mind and center it upon little things. Your thoughts should be the outgrowth of holy principles. Do not center your minds on objectionable things, and make a brother an offender for a word. Do not judge him by your own finite measurement. Let the voice of simple, trustful, earnest prayer be heard in your dwellings. When our sisters visit one another, let them not speak words of criticism of their brethren. Let your minds dwell upon the attributes of God, and tell of your experiences in the love of Jesus. The fullness of that love will soothe the heart and cause us to forget disagreeable occurrences." { 1888 1088.2 }
"We should exercise living faith in Christ. When our hopes of life seem to be slipping away, Jesus is ready to put his everlasting arms beneath us, and to draw us to his heart, and to comfort, encourage, and bless us. As soon as you surrender wholly to Christ, he will accept you. Christ has said that it was his will that your joy should be full. Why should you not have fullness of joy, when through Christ you have the prospect of eternal life at his coming? Why should we not every day show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light? “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He wants us to grow better in his love every day. As we follow on to know the Lord, we shall know that his goings forth are prepared as the morning. The sun rises in dimness; but as it begins to climb the heavens, its rays become more and more bright. Thus it is with the Christian in his life. He catches the bright beams of light from Christ, and by trusting in him he becomes better acquainted with his Saviour. It is a difficult matter for human nature to have perfect confidence in divine power, but the Lord will strengthen our faith, and we may have a precious experience in the knowledge of Jesus. We do not have the simplicity we should have in coming to our heavenly Father. We are sinners, but Christ has died for us, and it is our privilege to place ourselves upon the platform of his promises. If we have the love of Jesus in our hearts, we shall express it in our actions toward others. We shall proclaim to those who are out of Christ the beauty of faith and religion. It is not our place to inquire whether we shall have trials if we walk in the path of obedience; we are to search for the truth as for hidden treasures, and to accept it whatever may be its cost." {ST March 17, 1890, par. 3}
Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God. {RH June 2, 1910, par. 8}
Song is a weapon that we can always use against discouragement. As we thus open the heart to the sunlight of the Saviour’s presence, we shall have health and his blessing. {RH June 2, 1910, par. 9}
“Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good:
For his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”
“Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him:
Talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name:
Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.” {RH June 2, 1910, par. 10}
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. This command is an assurance that even the things which appear to be against us will work for our good. God would not bid us be thankful for that which would do us harm. {RH June 2, 1910, par. 11}
Unless otherwise stated, quotations come from the writings of Mrs. E. G. White.