A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
In Gethsemane the holiest of all petitioners prayed three times that a certain cup might pass from Him. It did not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the struggle of accepting suffering and the unanswered prayers that may accompany it.
C. S. Lewis highlights the profound moment in Gethsemane when Jesus prayed to avoid suffering, yet ultimately had to face it. This illustrates the tension between human desires to escape pain and the reality of enduring hardship, suggesting that sometimes the answer to our prayers may not align with our wishes.
Themes
SufferingPrayerAcceptanceEnduranceFaith
In practice
Example use cases
During a sermon discussing the importance of faith in times of trouble.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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