It is the distinguishing glory of Christianity not to rest satisfied with superficial appearances, but to rectify the motives, and purify the heart.
William WilberforceRead
The shortening of devotions starves the soul, it grows lean and faint
Interpretation
What this quote means
Neglecting spiritual practices weakens the soul and leads to a diminished life experience.
This quote by William Wilberforce emphasizes the importance of maintaining consistent devotion to spiritual practices. When individuals neglect their spiritual commitments, they risk spiritually starving themselves, which results in a weakened and less vibrant existence. The metaphor of the soul growing 'lean and faint' suggests that like a body deprived of adequate nourishment, a soul without devotion lack vitality and purpose.
Themes
DevotionSoulSpiritualityNourishmentCommitment
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon, a pastor might say, 'Remember, the shortening of devotions starves the soul.'
More from William Wilberforce
All quotes βGod Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.
William WilberforceRead
The first years in Parliament I did nothing - nothing to any purpose. My own distinction was my darling object.
William WilberforceRead
In an age in which infidelity abounds, do we observe parents carefully instructing their children in the principles of faith which they profess? Or do they furnish their children with arguments for the defense of that faith? ...it is not surprising to see them abandon a position which they are unable to defend.
William WilberforceRead
No one expects to attain to the height of learning, or arts, or power, or wealth, or military glory, without vigorous resolution, strenuous diligence, and steady perseverance. Yet we expect to be Christians without labour, study, or inquiry.
William WilberforceRead
O what a blessing is Sunday, interposed between the waves of worldly business like the divine path of the Israelites through the sea! There is nothing in which I would advise you to be more strictly conscientious than in keeping the Sabbath day holy. I can truly declare that to me the Sabbath has been invaluable.
William WilberforceRead
Similar quotes
Progress is Providence without God. That is, it is a theory that everything has always perpetually gone right by accident. It is a sort of atheistic optimism, based on an everlasting coincidence far more miraculous than a miracle.
Gilbert K. ChestertonRead
The greatest and most important problems of life are all fundamentally insoluble. They can never be solved but only outgrown.
Carl JungRead
People who know there is a god and people who know there isn't live in exactly the same world. Same number of hours in the day, same weather, same football results. They both love their children and die of the same diseases.
A. A. GillRead
How quickly do we grow accustomed to wonders. I am reminded of the Isaac Asimov story Nightfall, about the planet where the stars were visible only once in a thousand years. So awesome was the sight that it drove men mad. We who can see the stars every night glance up casually at the cosmos and then quickly down again, searching for a Dairy Queen.
Roger EbertRead
As if they were our own handiwork we place a high value on our characters.
EpicurusRead
You need an infinite stretch of time ahead of you to start to think, infinite energy to make the smallest decision. The world is getting denser. The immense number of useless projects is bewildering. Too many things have to be put in to balance up an uncertain scale. You can't disappear anymore. You die in a state of total indecision.
Jean BaudrillardRead