The Watchtower Society and John and Morton Edgar - A2Z.org

1 we may run with patience (patient endurance) the ra&I that is set before us. In this endeavour we shall begreatly helped b eflecting on the f w of the ancientworthies and by bking to Jesus, the author and finisherI of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him,/ endured the cross, despising the shame, and, as a result,I is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb.I 12 : 1, 2).Mental and Moral Habits.IThe more often certain thoughts, words, and actionsfollow upon certain sensations or sets of sensations, themore easily are they evoked. At first a conscious effortisnecessary, but with long practice they become more orless automatic. A mental or moral habit, good or bad,has been acquired. For instance, having consulted theword of counsel which our Heavenly Father has grantedus, and having found there the proverb that a soft answerturneth away wrath, and the tnjunction that we shouldbless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us,and pray for them that despitefully use us and persecuteus, suppose we resolve that by the grace of God we shall4 endeavour to follow the good advice thus given as. Itwill not be long before our resolution will be put to the test.Possibly on the same day some one will curse us, not as arule i the sense of uttering an oath against us, but he willattern! wittingly or unwittingly, to injure our goodwe. At once we feel annoyed and excited, and beforewe have had time to think, we give a sharp answer inreturn. Then what a feeling of shame comes over us.We recognise that we have returned evil for evil,-andconfessing our sin to our Heaven1 Father, we pray forhis forgiveness through the merit orour dear Lord's deathon our behalf, and we beseech him for continued favourin our further endeavours after righteousness. Realisingthat our fall was due to the fact that our brain has been