Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
t r a i n t h e M I N D ( 2 RELATED PHRASES ) |
The phrase 'Train the Mind' appears 23 times in the published writings of EGW See page on Original site Related phrase: fail to train the mind ( below )
| There is no time for engaging in trifling amusements, the gratification of selfish propensities. It is time that you were occupied with serious thoughts. And you cannot dwell upon the self-denying, self-sacrificing life of the world's Redeemer and find pleasure in joking and jesting and whiling away your time in foolishness. You are greatly in need of a practical experience in the Christian life. You need to train the mind for the work of God. The religious experience is to a great degree determined by the character of the books you read in your leisure moments. {7T 204.1}
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| Do not, because your thoughts are evil, cease to pray. If we could in our own wisdom and strength pray aright, we could also live aright, and would need no atoning sacrifice. But imperfection is upon all humanity. Educate and train the mind that you may in simplicity tell the Lord what you need. As you offer your petitions to God, seeking for forgiveness for sin, a purer and holier atmosphere will surround your soul. {ST, November 18, 1903 par. 15}
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| Many, not understanding that their doubts come from Satan, become fainthearted and are defeated in the conflict. Do not, because your thoughts are evil, cease to pray. If we could in our own wisdom and strength pray aright, we could also live aright, and would need no atoning sacrifice. But imperfection is upon all humanity. Educate and train the mind that you may in simplicity tell the Lord what you need. As you offer your petitions to God, seeking for forgiveness for sin, a purer and holier atmosphere will surround your soul. In Heavenly Places, page 78.5
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| To know one's self is great knowledge. True self-knowledge will lead to a humility that will allow the Lord to train the mind, and mold and discipline the character. The grace of humility is greatly needed by the workers for Christ in this period of the world's history. No teacher can do acceptable work who does not bear in mind his own deficiencies and who does not drop out from his reckoning all plans that will weaken his spiritual life. When teachers are willing to drop out from their work everything that is unessential for the life eternal, then they can be said indeed to be working out their salvation with fear and trembling, and to be building wisely for eternity. {FE 525.1} {RH, September 3, 1908 par. 1} {RH, October 8, 1908 par. 1}
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| In order to comprehend the truth, you should discipline and train the mind, and seek continually to possess the graces of genuine piety. You scarcely know what this is now. When Christ is in you, you will have something more than a theory of the truth. You will not only be repeating the lessons Christ gave when upon the earth, but you will be educating others by your life of self-denial and devotion to the cause of God. Your life will be a living sermon, possessing greater power than any discourse given in the desk. {LHU 282.5} {4T 379.2}
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| We are dependent upon God for the preservation of all our faculties. Christians are under obligation to Him to so train the mind that all the faculties may be strengthened and more fully developed. If we neglect to do this, they will never accomplish the purpose for which they were designed. We have no right to neglect any one of the powers that God has given us. {2MCP 442.2}
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| You are greatly in need of a practical experience in the Christian life. You need to train the mind for the work of God. The character of your religious experience is made manifest largely by the character of the books that you choose to read in your leisure moments. The Bible is the Book of books, and if you love the Scriptures, searching them when you have opportunity, that you may come in possession of the rich treasures of the Word of God, and be thoroughly furnished unto all good works, then you may be assured that Jesus is drawing you to Himself. But to read the Scriptures in merely a casual way without seeking to comprehend the lessons of Christ, that you may comply with His requirements, is not enough. There are rich treasures in the Word of God that can be discovered only by sinking the shaft deep into the mine of truth. The Scriptures are given for our benefit that we may have instruction in righteousness. Precious rays of light have been obscured by the clouds of error, but Christ is ready to sweep away the mists of error and superstition, and to reveal to us the brightness of the Father's glory, so that we shall say as did the disciples, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way?" ... {PM 68.2}
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| We need to educate and train the mind so that we shall have an intelligent faith, and have an understanding friendship with Jesus. Unless we continually cherish friendship between God and our souls, we shall separate from him, and walk apart from him. We shall make friends of those around us, and place our trust in humanity, and our affections will be diverted from the true object of worship. We must not allow coldness to chill our love for our Redeemer. If we have fellowship with him, we must ever set the Lord before us, and treat him as an honored Friend, giving him the first place in our affections. We should speak of his matchless charms, and constantly cultivate the desire to have a better knowledge of Jesus Christ. Then his Spirit will have a controlling power upon life and character. But how often is the Lord neglected for the society of others, and for things of no value! {YI, July 19, 1894 par. 5}
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| We need to educate and train the mind so that we shall have an intelligent faith, and have an understanding friendship with Jesus. Unless we continually cherish friendship between God and our souls, we shall separate from Him, and walk apart from Him. We shall make friends of those around us, and place our trust in humanity, and our affections will be diverted from the true object of worship. We must not allow coldness to chill our love for our Redeemer. If we have fellowship with Him, we must ever set the Lord before us, and treat Him as an honored Friend, giving Him the first place in our affections. We should speak of His matchless charms, and constantly cultivate the desire to have a better knowledge of Jesus Christ. Then His Spirit will have a controlling power upon life and character. . . . If ever there was a time when men needed the presence of Christ at their right hand, it is now. . . . We need the Captain of our salvation continually by our side. {SD 27.4}
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| It is agreeable, but not most profitable, to exercise those faculties which are naturally the strongest, while we neglect those that are weak, but which need to be strengthened. The feeblest faculties should have careful attention, that all the powers of the intellect may be nicely balanced and all do their part like well-regulated machinery. We are dependent upon God for the preservation of all our faculties. Christians are under obligation to Him to so train the mind that all the faculties may be strengthened and more fully developed. If we neglect to do this, they will never accomplish the purpose for which they were designed. We have no right to neglect any one of the powers that God has given us. We see monomaniacs all over the country. They are frequently sane upon every subject but one. The reason of this is that one organ of the mind was specially exercised while the others were permitted to lie dormant. The one that was in constant use became worn and diseased, and the man became a wreck. God was not glorified by his pursuing this course. Had he exercised all the organs equally, all would have had a healthy development; all the labor would not have been thrown upon one, therefore no one would have broken down. {3T 33.2}
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| It is in the power of every woman as well as every man to be a light to the world. Such home workers are needed in every church, and these home missionaries, if faithful to their great trust, can do a great amount of good. God will require at their hands the souls of those who live right at their own doors. With much prayer, with humility, you should seek, brethren and sisters, to know more and more of the truth, that you may be able to impart it to others. Train the mind, bind about the thoughts, center upon Heaven, and upon heavenly things, and strive to gain the confidence of your neighbors. Visit them, read the Scriptures with them, and suggest a season of prayer. It will require greater humility, greater faith, greater piety, than many of our church members possess, to do this work, but it will accomplish good. Be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." Seek to have your instruction easy and simple, and at the same time thorough, so that those who are not familiar with the truth, will understand and comprehend it. You can at least sow the seed in the best way possible; it may fall into good ground. {ST, May 19, 1887 par. 1}
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| The servants and the talents belong to God. "Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Your capabilities and powers are a purchased possession. You are to train the mind to think right thoughts, the tongue to speak right words, the eye to see right things. The heart is to be cleansed and purified, that it may be an abiding place for Christ. {18MR 140.5}
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| Women professing godliness generally fail to train the mind. They leave it uncontrolled, to go where it will. This is a great mistake. Many seem to have no mental power. They have not educated the mind to think; and because they have not done this, they suppose they cannot. Meditation and prayer are necessary to a growth in grace. Why there is no more stability among women is because of so little mental culture, so little reflection. Leaving the mind in a state of inaction, they lean upon others to do the brainwork, to plan, and think, and remember for them, and thus grow more and more inefficient. Some need to discipline the mind by exercise. They should force it to think. While they depend upon someone to think for them, to solve their difficulties, and they refuse to tax the mind with thought, the inability to remember, to look ahead and discriminate, will continue. Efforts must be made by every individual to educate the mind. {2T 187.3}
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| Woman professing godliness generally fail to train the mind. They leave it uncontrolled, to go where it will. This is a great mistake. Many seem to have no mental power. They have not educated the mind to think; and because they have not done this, they suppose they cannot. Meditation and prayer are necessary to a growth in grace. {1MCP 288.4}
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Women to Train the Mind -- Women professing godliness generally fail to train the mind. They leave it uncontrolled, to go where it will. This is a great mistake. Many seem to have no mental power. They have not educated the mind to think; and because they have not done this, they suppose they cannot. Meditation and prayer are necessary to a growth in grace.-- 2T 187 (1856). {DG 80.3}
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| neglecting to train the mind |
| We should individually aim for a higher and holier standard. The mind will surely become dwarfed if it is continually occupied with earthly things. But if trained to dwell upon heavenly, eternal themes, it will be expanded, elevated, and strengthened. The mind should take hold of things unseen, and meditate thereon; then things of eternal interest will be so exalted above the earthly, that temporal affairs will sink into insignificance in comparison. We do not regard divine things as of high value; and by neglecting to train the mind to prize eternal things more than earthly, we lose a valuable experience. We fail to obtain the wisdom God has brought within our reach. Suppose we change this order of things, and begin from today to train the thoughts to dwell upon the great plan of salvation, devoting less time to self-serving. Suppose you try to count all you blessings. You have thought so little upon them, and they have been so continual, that when reverses or afflictions come, you are grieved, and think God is unjust. You do not call to mind how little gratitude you have manifested for all the blessings of God. You have not deserved them; but because they have flowed in upon you day by day, year by year, you have looked upon them as a matter of course, thinking it was your right to receive every advantage, and give nothing in return. The Lord sometimes withdraws his mercies to bring people to their senses. Shall we make it necessary in our case for him to do so? Look away from your own trials and difficulties. Cease to magnify your little grievances. Put all thoughts of self out of your heart. Cease self-service, and serve the only true and living God. Let his melody be in your heart, and his praises on your lips. The blessings of God are more than the hairs of our head, more than the sands of the seashore. Meditate upon his love and care for us, and may it inspire you with love that trials cannot interrupt nor afflictions quench. {RH, December 23, 1884 par. 4}
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