God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, 'I love you.'
Billy GrahamRead
Before prayer changes others, it first changes us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prayer has the power to transform our own hearts and minds before it influences others.
This quote by Billy Graham emphasizes the transformative power of prayer, suggesting that its primary effect is on the person who prays. Before attempting to change the world or others through our requests to a higher power, prayer first prompts self-reflection, personal growth, and a change in perspective, leading to profound internal shifts that can ultimately influence external circumstances and relationships.
Themes
PrayerChangeTransformationSelf-ReflectionSpirituality
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon addressing the congregation about the power of prayer.
More from Billy Graham
All quotes βThe wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance.
Billy GrahamRead
Don't ever hesitate to take to [God] whatever is on your heart. He already knows it anyway, but He doesn't want you to bear its pain or celebrate its joy alone.
Billy GrahamRead
God will not force himself upon us against our will. If we want his love, we need to believe in him. We need to make a definite, positive act of commitment and surrender to the love of God. No one can do it for us.
Billy GrahamRead
Success in God's eyes is faithfulness to His calling.
Billy GrahamRead
Heaven doesn't make this life less important; it makes it more important.
Billy GrahamRead
Similar quotes
Prayer does not mean that I am to bring God down to my thoughts and my purposes, and bend his government according to my foolish, silly, and sometimes sinful notions. Prayer means that I am to be raised up into feeling, into union and design with him; that I am to enter into his counsel and carry out his purpose fully.
Dwight L. MoodyRead
The suffering of this life not only can make our temperament more like the Divine Personality of Jesus, but it detaches us from this world. This Divine preparation opens our souls to the working and pruning of the Father.
Mother AngelicaRead
The awakening passed from simple recognition of my need for God at the center of my life, to a depth where the will is stirred And that is a deeper place by far. That is the place of response, of unifying one's heart, mind, soul and feet around a decision.
Sue Monk KiddRead
The crisis of our prayer life is that our minds may be filled with ideas of God while our hearts remain far from him.
Henri NouwenRead
Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too.
J. C. RyleRead
There is no need to get to a place of prayer; pray wherever you are.
Oswald ChambersRead