Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life-gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.
Oswald ChambersRead
Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of patience and trust in God's plan, even when one cannot see the outcome.
Oswald Chambers illustrates the concept that patience transcends mere endurance; it involves a deep trust in God's purpose, which is often hidden from our view. The metaphor of a saint's life being akin to an arrow in the hands of an archer underscores the idea that while God may seem to stretch us beyond our limits, there is a greater intention behind our struggles. It calls for unwavering faith, suggesting that, even in moments of despair, trusting in God remains essential.
Themes
PatienceFaithTrustGodEndurancePurposeChristianity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a sermon to encourage parishioners to trust in God's plan.
More from Oswald Chambers
All quotes →Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer.
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Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God.
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When we preach the love of God there is a danger of forgetting that the Bible reveals not first the love of God but the intense, blazing holiness of God, with His love at the center of that holiness.
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It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we mistake panic for inspiration.
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Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion.
Oswald ChambersRead
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