--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It brings spiritual warfare and suffering…" description: "\"It brings spiritual warfare and suffering for the priest as he identifies with those who suffer, and shares the frustrations, anger, and incomprehensib..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/arthur-middleton-30997_abandonment_it-brings-spiritual-warfare-and-sufferin_1515940.png" --- # It brings spiritual warfare and suffering for the priest… ![“It brings spiritual warfare and suffering for the priest as he identifies with those who suffer, and shares the frustrations, anger, and incomprehensibility of that suffering in what it does to those who suffer. The priest shares in these struggles of his suffering people, the uncertainties it…” quote by Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/arthur-middleton-30997_abandonment_it-brings-spiritual-warfare-and-sufferin_1515940.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/arthur-middleton-30997_abandonment_it-brings-spiritual-warfare-and-sufferin_1515940.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/arthur-middleton-30997_abandonment_it-brings-spiritual-warfare-and-sufferin_1515940.png) > “It brings spiritual warfare and suffering for the priest as he identifies with those who suffer, and shares the frustrations, anger, and incomprehensibility of that suffering in what it does to those who suffer. The priest shares in these struggles of his suffering people, the uncertainties it brings, the sense of divine abandonment it induces, and the loneliness caused.” [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The priest empathically experiences the suffering of his flock, feeling divine abandonment and loneliness as he shares their pain. **In simple terms:** A priest feels deep empathy and loneliness with his suffering community. Key Takeaway Recognize and address the emotional toll of pastoral care. Themes compassion spiritual struggle loneliness divine abandonment empathy Mood reflective somber Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - counseling sessions - support groups - clergy retreats - community outreach - mental health workshops Key Concepts theology psychology pastoral care Questions to Reflect On - How can clergy balance empathy with personal well‑being? - What structures support clergy emotional health? A Different Perspective The priest’s perspective may overlook the agency of those suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abandonment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abandonment/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual warfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-warfare/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) [Warfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warfare/) ## Related quotes > [“Knowledge is not necessary for obedience, nor doth information replace faith. El hast commanded. We shall obey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-m-neal/knowledge-is-not-necessary-for-obedience-nor-doth-information-replace/) Donovan M. Neal > [“In the Church he (Lincoln) saw people who, though they hated war as much as the editors did, saw with clarity what the moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/in-the-church-he-lincoln-saw-people-who-though-they-hated-war-as-much/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“in spiritual warfare. God’s power lies in His three warheads: the Word, the Name, and the Blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-law/in-spiritual-warfare-god-s-power-lies-in-his-three-warheads-the-word/) [Terry Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-law/) > [“The Word of God seems to be the only offensive weapon which you have in your spiritual armory. It is quite powerful, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-okoro/the-word-of-god-seems-to-be-the-only-offensive-weapon-which-you-have/) [Pedro Okoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-okoro/) > [“familiarity with the secret place is familiarity with the glory place. Abide in his presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-joseph/familiarity-with-the-secret-place-is-familiarity-with-the-glory-place/) [Ikechukwu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-joseph/) > [“I'm here, Satan," he said. "I can't see you, and maybe you can move faster than I can, but I'm still here, and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-e-peretti/i-m-here-satan-he-said-i-can-t-see-you-and-maybe-you-can-move-faster/) [Frank E. Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-e-peretti/) > [“the mind is ground zero in spiritual warfare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-law/the-mind-is-ground-zero-in-spiritual-warfare/) [Terry Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-law/) > [“It is a weapon of spiritual warfare to rejoice in the Lord, in full confidence of what God will produce from your darkness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-m-smeltzer/it-is-a-weapon-of-spiritual-warfare-to-rejoice-in-the-lord-in-full/) [Kristen M. Smeltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-m-smeltzer/) > [At that time the sons of God will be fully manifested on the earth. Widespread spiritual warfare will result with the Sons of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hamon/at-that-time-the-sons-of-god-will-be-fully-manifested-on-the-earth/) [Bill Hamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hamon/) > [“Successful resistance to temptation may result in an increase of moral muscle, but that is because one is going to need it. A temptation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/successful-resistance-to-temptation-may-result-in-an-increase-of/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“The young man of leadership caliber will work while others waste time, study while others snooze, pray while others daydream. Slothful habits are overcome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders-2/the-young-man-of-leadership-caliber-will-work-while-others-waste-time/) [J Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders-2/) > [It's spiritual warfare out here gotta keep the devils up off ya and eyes on the prize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-spiritual-warfare-out-here-gotta-keep-the-devils-up-off-ya-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“By the anointing of the Holy Spirit, anybody who is afflicted by any phobia can be set free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-okoro/by-the-anointing-of-the-holy-spirit-anybody-who-is-afflicted-by-any/) [Pedro Okoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-okoro/) > [“The sheer size, extent, and magnitude of the blood vessels tell us two things: the awesomeness of God’s work in man and the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-okoro/the-sheer-size-extent-and-magnitude-of-the-blood-vessels-tell-us-two/) [Pedro Okoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-okoro/) > [“There is nothing as potent as agreement and unity of heart in spiritual warfare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-okoro/there-is-nothing-as-potent-as-agreement-and-unity-of-heart-in/) [Pedro Okoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-okoro/) ## More by Arthur Middleton > [Many people experience Gethsemane moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/many-people-experience-gethsemane-moments/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [In the Eucharist, priest and people together come to concelebrate. Here the ladder Jacob saw only as a dream becomes for us a reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/in-the-eucharist-priest-and-people-together-come-to-concelebrate-here/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [A priest is the God-bearer or Christ-bearer, a living Eucharist of the divine presence, bringing a sympathetic ear and a compassionate heart in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/a-priest-is-the-god-bearer-or-christ-bearer-a-living-eucharist-of-the/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [The Church's note must be a supernatural note which distinguishes incarnation from immanence, redemption from evolution, the Kingdom of God from mere spiritual process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/the-church-s-note-must-be-a-supernatural-note-which-distinguishes/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [The priest is Christ's slave, and Christ himself took the form of a slave and became obedient to death. 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The only way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/the-evil-of-the-church-is-the-doing-of-church-work-in-a-spirit-of/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [There is a kind of thinking in the Church that wants to reduce the priest to a mere functionary, a managing director, where administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/there-is-a-kind-of-thinking-in-the-church-that-wants-to-reduce-the/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [As priests uphold their people in prayer, so their people are to uphold them with prayer and love, for he cannot work without his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/as-priests-uphold-their-people-in-prayer-so-their-people-are-to/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [We are to introduce our people into the life of the Church, which is salvation, that they may grasp its meaning, its contents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/we-are-to-introduce-our-people-into-the-life-of-the-church-which-is/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [The task of a priest, in some respects, may be different today, but the principles upon which Herbert built his life as a priest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/the-task-of-a-priest-in-some-respects-may-be-different-today-but-the/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [Times have changed since George Herbert... but the principle and spirit in which he ministered as a priest remains an inspiration and model for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/times-have-changed-since-george-herbert-but-the-principle-and-spirit/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) [Explore all 17 Arthur Middleton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) ## More Abandonment quotes > [If our faith in God is not the veriest sham, it demands, and will produce, the abandonment sometimes, the subordination always, of external helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/if-our-faith-in-god-is-not-the-veriest-sham-it-demands-and-will/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [I don't believe in fate or destiny. I believe in various degrees of hatred, paranoia, and abandonment. However much of that gets heaped upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-believe-in-fate-or-destiny-i-believe-in-various-degrees-of/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [“Sometimes people walk away from love because it is so beautiful that it terrifies them. Sometimes they leave because the connection shines a bright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-brown/sometimes-people-walk-away-from-love-because-it-is-so-beautiful-that/) [Jeff Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-brown/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Judaism is absolutely incompatible with the abandonment of the Torah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-schechter/judaism-is-absolutely-incompatible-with-the-abandonment-of-the-torah/) [Solomon Schechter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-schechter/) > [“Abandonment is ugly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-moore/abandonment-is-ugly/) [Michelle Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-moore/) > [In our culture of constant access and nonstop media, nothing feels more like a curse from God than time in the wilderness. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-martin/in-our-culture-of-constant-access-and-nonstop-media-nothing-feels/) [Jonathan Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-martin/) > [“When you give everything, you have nothing to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mcgahan/when-you-give-everything-you-have-nothing-to-lose/) [Kate McGahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mcgahan/) > [The only thing worse than being abandoned, is not being worthy of an explanation. It hurts to let go... but the feeling you're falling..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joryneville/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-abandoned-is-not-being-worthy-of-an/) JoryNeville > [“I am not so different in my history of abandonment from anyone else after all. 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