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If asked whether I am finally letting God love me, just as I am, I would answer, ‘No, but I’m trying.

Brennan Manning

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
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
There is an essential connection between experiencing God, loving God, and trusting God. You will trust God only as much as you love him. And you will love him to the extent you have touched him, rather that he has touched you.
BRENNAN MANNING

Connection Essential Experience God Love Touch Yourself
Jesus comes for sinners, for those outcast and those caught up in squalid choices and failed dreams.
BRENNAN MANNING

Choice Dreams Failure God Sin
Ruthless trust ultimately comes down to this: faith in the person of Jesus and hope in his promise.
BRENNAN MANNING

Faith Person Promise Ultimate
The story goes that a public sinner was excommunicated and forbidden entry to the church. He took his woes to God. ‘They won’t let me in, Lord, because I am a sinner.’ ‘What are you complaining about?’ said God. ‘They won’t let Me in either.
BRENNAN MANNING

Complaint Funny God Myself Public Sin Story
I asked for wonder, and He gave it to me.
BRENNAN MANNING

God Himself Miracle Myself Wonder
The gospel declares that no matter how dutiful or prayerful we are, we can’t save ourselves. What Jesus did was sufficient.
BRENNAN MANNING

Declare Prayer Save Scripture Sufficient
The gospel will persuade no one unless it has so convicted us that we are transformed by it.
BRENNAN MANNING

Conviction Oneself Scripture Transformation
Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and the weak-kneed who know they don’t have it all together, and who are not too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace.
BRENNAN MANNING

Acceptance Amazing God Grace Spiritual Togetherness Weakness
Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.
BRENNAN MANNING

God Identity Illusion Oneself Radical True
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
Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever.
BRENNAN MANNING

Encouragement Evil Failure Forever Grace Sorrow Suffering
In Love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve.
BRENNAN MANNING

Love Service Wound
To lend each other a hand when we’re falling, perhaps that’s the only work that matters in the end.
BRENNAN MANNING

Each Other End Fall Hands Hard Time Support Work

If asked whether I am finally letting God love me, just as I am, I would answer, ‘No, but I’m trying.

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If asked whether I am finally letting God love me, just as I am, I would answer, ‘No, but I’m trying.

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