The earth has grown old with its burden of care, But at Christmas it always is young.
Phillips BrooksRead
You may look through the streets of heaven, asking each how they came to b there, and you will look in vain everywhere for a person who is morally and spiritually strong, whose strength did not come to him in struggle. There is no exception anywhere. Every true strength is gained in struggle.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True strength is developed through overcoming struggles and challenges.
This quote emphasizes that moral and spiritual strength are not innate qualities but are instead forged through hardship and perseverance. Phillips Brooks suggests that without facing trials and challenges, one cannot attain true strength, making struggle an essential part of personal growth and character development.
Themes
StrengthStruggleGrowthMoralitySpirituality
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about resilience and personal development.
More from Phillips Brooks
All quotes →We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided.
Phillips BrooksRead
The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy, that he may be able to bear the burden.
Phillips BrooksRead
To believe in the God over us and around us and not in the God within us - that would be a powerless and fruitless faith.
Phillips BrooksRead
To say, 'well done' to any bit of good work is to take hold of the powers which have made the effort and strengthen them beyond our knowledge.
Phillips BrooksRead
Think of life as a voyage. The truest liver of the truest life is like a voyager who, as he sails, is not indifferent to all the beauty of the sea around him.
Phillips BrooksRead
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