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we unwittingly project onto God our own attitudes and feelings toward ourselves… But we cannot assume that He feels about us the way we feel about ourselves — unless we love ourselves compassionately, intensely, and freely.

Brennan Manning

Real freedom is freedom from the opinions of others. Above all, freedom from your opinions about yourself.
BRENNAN MANNING

Freedom Opinion Reality Yourself
The gospel will persuade no one unless it has so convicted us that we are transformed by it.
BRENNAN MANNING

Conviction Oneself Scripture Transformation
Our culture says that ruthless competition is the key to success. Jesus says that ruthless compassion is the purpose of our journey.
BRENNAN MANNING

Compassionate Competition Culture Journey Key Ourselves Purpose Success
There is a beautiful transparency to honest disciples who never wear a false face and do not pretend to be anything but who they are.
BRENNAN MANNING

Beautiful Discipline Face Honesty Pretend Transparent
The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust — not only for all the gifts that I receive from God, but gratitude for all the suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God.
BRENNAN MANNING

Authentic Character Dominant Experience Flow God Gratitude Intimacy Life Purity Spiritual Trust
Our huffing and puffing to impress God, our scrambling for brownie points, our thrashing about trying to fix ourselves while hiding our pettiness and wallowing in guilt are nauseating to God and are a flat denial of the gospel of grace.
BRENNAN MANNING

God Grace Impression Scripture Try
Tragedy is that our attention centers on what people are not, rather than on what they are and who they might become.
BRENNAN MANNING

Attention Be Yourself People Tragedy
Hope knows that if great trials are avoided great deeds remain undone and the possibility of growth into greatness of soul is aborted.
BRENNAN MANNING

Avoid Greatness Growth Hope Soul
On the last day, Jesus will look us over not for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars.
BRENNAN MANNING

Day Medal Ourselves Scars Search
The sorrow of God lies in our fear of Him, our fear of life, and our fear of ourselves. He anguishes over our self-absorption and self-sufficiency… God’s sorrow lies in our refusal to approach Him when we sinned and failed.
BRENNAN MANNING

Failure Fear God Himself Life Lying Sin Sorrow
God is enough. That is the root of peace. When we start seeking something besides Him, we lose it.
BRENNAN MANNING

Enough God Himself Lose Peace Seek Start
I could more easily contain Niagara Falls in a teacup than I can comprehend the wild, uncontainable love of God.
BRENNAN MANNING

Easy God Love Myself Wild
The Good News means we can stop lying to ourselves. The sweet sound of amazing grace saves us from the necessity of self-deception. It keeps us from denying that though Christ was victorious, the battle with lust, greed, and pride still rages within us.
BRENNAN MANNING

Amazing Battle Goodness Grace Lust Lying Ourselves Stop Victory
We have been given God in our souls and Christ in our flesh. We have the power to believe where others deny, to hope where others despair, to love where others hurt.
BRENNAN MANNING

Believe Body Despair God Hurt Love Presence Soul
Christianity doesn’t deny the reality of suffering and evil Our hope is not based on the idea that we are going to be free of pain and suffering. Rather, it is based on the conviction that we will triumph over suffering.
BRENNAN MANNING

Evil Freedom Hope Idea Ourselves Pain Reality Success Suffering
Genuine self-acceptance is not derived from the power of positive thinking, mind games or pop psychology. IT IS AN ACT OF FAITH in the God of grace.
BRENNAN MANNING

Acceptance Faith God Grace Positive Power Thinking

we unwittingly project onto God our own attitudes and feelings toward ourselves… But we cannot assume that He feels about us the way we feel about ourselves — unless we love ourselves compassionately, intensely, and freely.

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we unwittingly project onto God our own attitudes and feelings toward ourselves… But we cannot assume that He feels about us the way we feel about ourselves — unless we love ourselves compassionately, intensely, and freely.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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