The earth has grown old with its burden of care, But at Christmas it always is young.
Phillips BrooksRead
A prayer in its simplest definition is merely a wish turned Godward.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prayer is essentially a heartfelt wish directed towards God.
In this quote, Phillips Brooks simplifies the concept of prayer to its core essence, asserting that at its heart, prayer is about expressing one's deepest desires in a spiritual context. This perspective encourages people to understand prayer not as a formal ritual, but as a genuine communication of hopes and needs directed toward a higher power, thus bridging personal aspirations with divine will.
Themes
PrayerWishGodSpiritualityCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
Including this quote in a sermon to highlight the essence of prayer.
More from Phillips Brooks
All quotes βWe never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided.
Phillips BrooksRead
The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy, that he may be able to bear the burden.
Phillips BrooksRead
To believe in the God over us and around us and not in the God within us - that would be a powerless and fruitless faith.
Phillips BrooksRead
To say, 'well done' to any bit of good work is to take hold of the powers which have made the effort and strengthen them beyond our knowledge.
Phillips BrooksRead
Think of life as a voyage. The truest liver of the truest life is like a voyager who, as he sails, is not indifferent to all the beauty of the sea around him.
Phillips BrooksRead
Similar quotes
the real "work" of prayer is to become silent and listen to the voice that says good things about me. To gently push aside and silence the many voices that question my goodness and to trust that I will hear the voice of blessing-- that demands real effort.
Henri NouwenRead
Prayer is a new, gracious, lasting will of the soul united and fast-bound to the will of God by the precious and mysterious working of the Holy Ghost.
Julian Of NorwichRead
I ought to pray before seeing any one. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin secret prayer. I feel it is far better to begin with God-to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another.
Robert Murray M'CheyneRead
May we always say thank you to God, especially for his patience and mercy.
Pope FrancisRead
To become effective men of God, then, we must know and acknowledge that every grace and every virtue proceeds from God alone, and that not even a good thought can come from us except it be of Him.
Aiden Wilson TozerRead
Real prayer is union with God, a union as vital as that of the vine to the branch.
Mother TeresaRead