Character of god Quote by Brennan Manning
““Julian of Norwich...wrote: 'Some of us believe that God is almighty and can do everything; and that he is all-wise and may do everything; but that he is all-love and will do everything -- there we draw back. As I see it, this ignorance is the greatest of all hindrances to God's lovers.' Where do we thing we are going when we draw back from God? The tiny gods we worship when we draw back from the true God are idols we've made to look just like us. It takes a profound conversion to accept that God is relentlessly tender and compassionate toward us just as we are - and not in spite of our sins and faults, but in them and through them. As Anne Lamott sees it, 'The secret is that God loves us exactly the way we are and that he loves us too much to let us stay like this..." (p. 21)””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Inner Kingdom, by Brennan Manning, 1991
The quote argues that fearing God's all‑love leads us to create false idols; true conversion means accepting God's tender compassion even amid our flaws.
In simple terms: Fear of God's love creates false idols; true faith embraces His compassion despite our flaws.
Key Takeaway
Accept God's love as it is, not as a distant ideal.
Themes
faith
humility
spirituality
idolatry
conversion
Mood
reflective
hopeful
serene
Type
theological
inspirational
reflective
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- confession
- counseling
- spiritual direction
- community worship
Key Concepts
theology
psychology
compassion
grace
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we move from fear of God's love to trusting it?
- What idols do we create when we distance ourselves from God?
A Different Perspective
The message may overlook that some people struggle with feeling unworthy of love, making acceptance difficult.
![“[author quoting from his journal entry] "To feel safe is to stop living in my head and sink down into my heart and feel liked and accepted...not having to hide anymore and distract myself with books, television, movies, ice cream, shallow conversation...staying in the present moment and not…” quote by Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/05d/brennan-manning-959_anxiety_author-quoting-from-his-journal-entry-to_178363.jpg)
