You should not neglect diligent study, but should pray for light from God that He would open to your understanding the treasures of His word, that you may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. You will never be in a position where it is not necessary for you to watch and pray earnestly in order to overcome your besetments. You will need to be guarded continually to keep self out of sight. You have encouraged a habit of making yourself very prominent, dwelling upon your family difficulties and your poor health. In short, yourself has been the theme of your conversation and has come in between you and your Saviour. You should forget self and hide behind Jesus. Let the dear Saviour be magnified, but lose sight of self. When you see and feel your weakness you will not see that there is anything in yourself worthy of notice or remark. The people have not only been wearied, but disgusted, with your preliminaries before you present your subject. Every time that you speak to the people and mention your family trials you lower yourself in their estimation and suggest suspicions that you are not all right. {3T 235.2}

Du bør ikke forsømme ihærdig studie, men bede efter lys fra Gud så han vil åbne din forståelse for hans ords rigdomme, så du kan yde noget til alle gode gerninger. Du vil aldrig komme i en situation hvor det ikke er nødvendigt at våge og bede alvorligt for at overvinde dine problemer. Du vil få brug for at vogte dig, for at holde selvet ude. Du har dannet en vane for at du selv er fremtrædende, dvæle på dine familieproblemer og dit dårlige helbred. Kort sagt, du har været temaet for din samtale og er kommet imellem dig selv og din Frelser. Du bør glemme selvet og skjule dig bag Jesus. Lad den dyrebare frelser være stor og tag synet bort fra selvet. Når du ser og føler din svaghed vil du ikke se at der er noget i selvet der er værd at lægge mærke til. Folk er ikke kun blevet trætte, men væmmes, over dine indledninger før du fremlægger dit (236) emne. Hver gang du taler til folk og nævner dine familieproblemer, så fornedrer du dig selv i deres øjne og du antyder at du ikke er helt god.