Quotes about Awareness

The proof of spiritual maturity, Tolstoy contended, is not how "pure" you are but awareness of your impurity. That very awareness opens the door to grace.

Be careful," warned Nietzsche, "lest in fighting the dragon you become the dragon." I

When I am tempted to complain about God's lack of presence, I remind myself that God has much more reason to complain about my lack of presence.

Thielicke gently turned his parishioners to the example of Jesus who saw like no one else the anguish and injustice, the terror, of this planet. Shouldn't such awareness have filled his every waking hour and robbed him of sleep at night? Shouldn't it have shaken his very soul?

God is already present, in the most unexpected places. We just need to make God visible.

When we ignore the world outside the walls we suffer—as does it.

The committee has again been reminded that every human effort is flawed

On the other hand, if the subject had nothing to do but think about his pain (as is true in many hospitals and nursing homes), he showed much greater sensitivity.

We cannot make Him visible to us, but we can make ourselves visible to Him," said Abraham Joshua Heschel

and said, almost without thinking, "Well, of course, Philip, God was already present in the prison. I just had to make him visible." I have often thought of that line from Joanna, which would make a fine mission statement for all of us seeking to know and follow God. God is already present, in the most unexpected places. We just need to make God visible.

As a Southerner, coming of age for me included a dawning awareness that we were living with a story that was self-deceiving, a lie. The resulting tension planted something deep in my soul, a nagging sense of betrayal.

I remind myself that prayer means keeping company with God who is already present.