The Christian's habit of thought has much indeed to do with his spiritual progress or retrogression, as it is also an index of his spiritual state; and good habits of thought need to be carefully cultivated. By "habit of thought" we mean that normal condition to which the mind habitually (characteristically) returns in the moments of mental leisure. While engaged in the active duties of life, we must of necessity bend our mental energies to the work at hand, for if we do anything merely mechanically and without concentrating thought upon it, we cannot do it well; yet even here Christian principle, well established in the character, will unconsciously guide. But when the strain of labor and care are lifted for a time, the established habit of thought, like the needle to the pole, should quickly return to its rest in God.
The Christian life is one in which, from the standpoint of the flesh, there is much perplexity and unrest, and the Christian's danger under these circumstances is permitting this perplexity and unrest to become a part of his character. To overthrow this tendency a constant returning in confidence in the Lord's good will and purpose toward him as expressed in the Word is necessary; for in such reliance upon the Lord through the Word, he finds rest and peace amid trouble and perplexity.
REPRINTS
Job 34:29; Psa. 1:1, 2; 4:8; 25:12; 29:11; 85:8; 119:165; 125:1, 5; Prov. 3:13-26; Isa. 26:3, 12; 28:12; 32:2, 17, 18; 53:5; Luke 1:79; John 14:27; 16:33; Acts 10:36; Rom. 10:15; Phil. 4:7, 9.
