The Spirit of God has been grieved because he has not fully committed his ways to God and trusted himself entirely in His hands, not allowing his mind to run in the channel of doubt and unbelief in regard to the integrity of his brethren. In talking doubts and discouragements he has not remedied the evil, but has weakened his own powers and given Satan advantage to annoy and distress him. He has erred in talking out his discouragements and dwelling upon the unpleasant features of his experience. In thus talking he scatters darkness but not light. He has at times laid a weight of discouragement upon his brethren, which did not bring to him the least help, but only weakened their hands. He should make it a rule not to talk unbelief or discouragement, or dwell upon his grievances. His brethren generally have loved and pitied him, and have excused this in him, knowing the pressure of care upon him, and his devotion to the cause of God. {3T 96.2}

Guds Ånd er blevet bedrøvet fordi han ikke til fulde har overladt sine veje til Gud og betroet sig selv helt i hans hænder og ikke lade sine tanker, om brødrenes renhed, løbe i tvivlens og vantroens kanal. Når han fortæller om tvivl og modløshed har han ikke fjernet det onde, men har svækket sine egne kræfter og givet Satan anledning til at plage og pine ham. Han har begået fejl ved at tale om sin modløshed og dvæle ved de ubehagelige træk i hans erfaring. Ved at tale om dette spreder han mørke og ikke lys. Ind i mellem har han lagt en håbløs byrde på sine brødre, som ikke hjælper han det mindste, men kun svækker deres hænder. Han bør gøre det til en regel ikke at tale om vantro eller modløshed, eller dvæle over hans sorger. I almindelighed har hans brødre elsket ham og ynkedes over ham og har undskyldt ham og været klar over presset på ham og hans helligelse til Guds sag.