A gift without a heart behind it is a bribe. God asks for our heart, not our gifts.
Samuel ChadwickRead
Great grief prays with great earnestness. Prayer is not a collection of balanced phrases; it is the pouring out of the soul. What is love if it be not fiery? What are prayers if the heart be not ablaze? They are the battles of the soul. In them men wrestle with principalities and powers... _x000D_ ”The prayer that prevails is not the work of lips and fingertips. It is the cry of a broken heart and the travail of a stricken soul.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the profound depth and earnestness of true prayer, emphasizing emotional sincerity over mere words.
Samuel Chadwick emphasizes that genuine prayer arises from deep emotional turmoil and sincerity rather than from mere eloquence or formality. It portrays prayer as an intense battle of the soul where individuals confront their deepest struggles, akin to the powerful and passionate nature of love. The quote suggests that both love and prayer demand a fiery passion and earnestness that reflects the human experience of suffering and yearning.
Themes
PrayerGriefSoulHeartLovePassionSincerity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the power of prayer during difficult times.
More from Samuel Chadwick
All quotes →Prayer turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God.
Samuel ChadwickRead
The prayer that prevails is not the work of lips and fingertips. It is the cry of a broken heart and the travail of a stricken soul.
Samuel ChadwickRead
In these days there is no time to pray; but without time, and a lot of it, we shall never learn to pray.
Samuel ChadwickRead
Men ablaze are invincible. Hell trembles when men kindle. The stronghold of Satan is proof against everything but fire. The Church is powerless without the flame of the Holy Ghost. Destitute of fire, nothing else really counts; possessed of fire, nothing else really matters. The one vital need is fire. Without the flame and fervour of the Holy Ghost the Church will never accomplish its mission.
Samuel ChadwickRead
Compassion costs. It is easy enough to argue, criticize and condemn, but redemption is costly, and comfort draws from the deep. Brains can argue, but It takes heart to comfort.
Samuel ChadwickRead
Similar quotes
People need trouble - a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.
William FaulknerRead
'Let the Great World Spin' at the end talks a lot about connections and light and possibility and the fact that the world doesn't end. Even in the darkest times, we have to go on.
Colum MccannRead
We are often attracted to the wrong things, whether it be money, fame, or approval.
Robert GreeneRead
Begin this moment, wherever you find yourself, and take no thought of the morrow. Look not to Russia, China, India, not to Washington, not to the adjoining county, city or state, but to your immediate surroundings. Forget Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed and all the others. Do your part to the best of your ability, regardless of the consequences. Above all, do not wait for the next man to follow suit.
Henry MillerRead
Remind yourself, in whatever way is personally meaningful, that it is not in your best interest to reinforce thoughts and feelings of unworthiness. Even if you've already taken the bait and feel the familiar pull of self-denigration, marshal your intelligence, courage, and humor in order to turn the tide. Ask yourself: Do I want to strengthen what I'm feeling now? Do I want to cut myself off from my basic goodness? Remind yourself that your fundamental nature is unconditionally open and free.
Pema ChodronRead
A man must not only have faith but intellectual faith too. To make a man take up everything and believe it, would be to make him a lunatic.
Swami VivekanandaRead