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Controlling Our Thoughts

  • Author: B-6594
  • Editor: B-6591
  • Newspaper: The Umpire volume 2
  • Page Number:
  • Date: 10 8 1913
  • Tags:
  • advice

MORAL ESSAYS By B 6594 CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS We are responsible for our thoughts— that is, for the thoughts we encourage, cherish and love. We cannot be blamed for every bad suggestion that comes to our mind, but we can be blamed if we keep them there and make a pet of them. The will has power to put away bad thoughts. The will depends upon the emotions, passions, and tempers; the emotions passions, and tempers depend upon the views we take of objects. Has not the will power both? Let a man indulging in fretfulness be visited by friends, whose good opinions he esteems, and how soon will he put on the appearance and assume the voice and language of cheerfulness. Thoughts may come unbidden as birds; but we can drive them away as well. It needs but a little violence to change the current of the most. interesting stream of thought. Then, if we have the power at all times to change the train of thought, our character is in our own hands, for the feelings, the tendencies, the deeds of a man, are but the outgoings of his thoughts. Who commits crimes, fights battles, carries forward reforms, etc., without first thinking them all over in his own mind? They all are but the development of the thoughts of the soul, and over these the will sits as monarch, not that it can call up a thought by its own powers, but it can admit or exclude thoughts at its pleasure, and choose the region of thought, whether good or bad, in which the mind shall dwell. Some men exert far more influence over their thoughts than others; but this is due to habit more than nature. A man may so represent to his mind God, all lovely as he is, as to hate him; and so present to it the devil, all hateful as he is, as to come ‘in time to love him. To successfully banish evil thoughts, we must welcome good ones. The good ones, under the force of our will, may force out the bad, and fill our minds. This must be done. No upright life is likely to follow vile and wicked thoughts. "As a man thinketh, so is he." Pure thinking is the fountain of all purity; good thinking the fountain of all goodness: but evil thinking is poison in the fountain which vitiates all the branches of life.