Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.
Martin LutherRead
Lord, grant that anger or other bitterness does not reign over us, but that your grace, genuine kindness, loyalty, and every kind of friendliness, generosity, and gentleness may reign in us. Amen
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of allowing positive qualities like kindness and generosity to guide our actions instead of negative emotions like anger.
Martin Luther's quote reflects a prayerful desire for inner peace and positive virtues to dominate one's life. By asking for grace, kindness, loyalty, and gentleness, it acknowledges the struggle against bitterness and anger, advocating for a character built upon love and generosity, which ultimately fosters harmony both within oneself and in relationships with others.
Themes
AngerKindnessGraceGentlenessFriendlinessGenerosity
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon about overcoming negative emotions, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of fostering kindness.
More from Martin Luther
All quotes →Now if I believe in God's Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. ...God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.
Martin LutherRead
It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own body for the very purpose that, by its soundness and wellbeing, he may be enabled to labour, and to acquire and preserve property, for the aid of those who are in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may be children of God, and busy for one another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfiling the law of Christ.
Martin LutherRead
Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.
Martin LutherRead
We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands.
Martin LutherRead
In a mouse we admire God's creation and craft work. The same may be said about flies.
Martin LutherRead
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