Quotes about Withdrawal

So the first consequence of Christ's withdrawing himself from us is that inward graces grow weak and we tend to rely more and more on outside helps. Above all, we lose the desire for holy meditation and we spend less and less time with Christ. Just as frost withers the plants in the garden, so the grace in our hearts also withers when the 'Sun of Righteousness' withdraws and hides himself.

Then the whole congregation of Israel withdrew from the presence of Moses.

They testify that nature is not changed but is preserved by God. But the stupid and crazy mob of monks has taught that parents, wives, and the world should be abandoned and that one should withdraw into a monastery. But what is to become of human society or finally of all life? Surely that was not sanctity or worship of God, as they have called it; it was satanic madness.

My soul is disconsolate when God is withdrawn.

When the Lord is pleased to withdraw, the soul is left in great loneliness; yet all the possible efforts that it might make to regain His companionship are of little avail, for the Lord gives this when He wills and it cannot be acquired. Sometimes again, companionship comes from a saint which is also a great help to us.

They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.

As the world is wearie of me so am I of it.

When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns.

As a result, Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but He withdrew to a town called Ephraim in an area near the wilderness. And He stayed there with the disciples.

To the Son of God prayer was more important than the assembling of great throngs... He often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed [Luke 5:15—16].