--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: However, before long, you find it has…" description: "\"“However, before long, you find it has always happened that the low tide returns. The ocean of grace seemed to recede; the Church was driven back by ei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_grace_however-before-long-you-find-it-has-alwa_2008020.jpg" --- # However, before long, you find it has always happened that… ![“However, before long, you find it has always happened that the low tide returns. The ocean of grace seemed to recede; the Church was driven back by either persecution or internal decay. Instead of winning against the wickedness of the world, the wickedness of the world overcame her. Where…” quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_grace_however-before-long-you-find-it-has-alwa_2008020.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_grace_however-before-long-you-find-it-has-alwa_2008020.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_grace_however-before-long-you-find-it-has-alwa_2008020.jpg) > ““However, before long, you find it has always happened that the low tide returns. The ocean of grace seemed to recede; the Church was driven back by either persecution or internal decay. Instead of winning against the wickedness of the world, the wickedness of the world overcame her. Where righteousness flowed like the waves of the sea, there was the black mud and muck of the filthiness of mankind. The Church was in mourning. She was like the Israelites in captivity when they sat down and wept by the rivers of Babylon as they remembered their former glory and wept over their present emptiness. It has always been this way for the Church. She advances, retreats, stands still for a while, and then moves forward once more, only to fall back again. The entire history of the Church has been a story of marches forward and then quick retreats.”” [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Church experiences cycles of growth and decline, reflecting human frailty and external pressures. **In simple terms:** Church history repeats rise and fall. Key Takeaway Prepare for setbacks, keep faith. Themes faith history resilience decline Mood somber reflective Type historical theological When to use this quote - mission work - leadership - community building - crisis response Key Concepts theology institutional dynamics spiritual cycles Questions to Reflect On - How can the Church learn from past failures? - What practices sustain spiritual vitality today? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on past glory can hinder present action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persecution/) ## Related quotes > [“In the end, there is a normative story that we live into as a church: the story God is telling through scripture, as summarized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/in-the-end-there-is-a-normative-story-that-we-live-into-as-a-church/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“Despite the sea being wild and the waves rolling away from the shore, the tide always returns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mcintyre/despite-the-sea-being-wild-and-the-waves-rolling-away-from-the-shore/) [Katherine McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mcintyre/) > [“Jesus came to give his righteousness not to condemn the unrighteous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-canoza/jesus-came-to-give-his-righteousness-not-to-condemn-the-unrighteous/) [Mac Canoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-canoza/) > [“If God calls to arduous duty, He is prepared to give all needed grace for doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/if-god-calls-to-arduous-duty-he-is-prepared-to-give-all-needed-grace/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“In short, when it comes to colonial America, religious persecution—in the sense of persecution both based in religion and aimed at religion—was as American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/in-short-when-it-comes-to-colonial-america-religious-persecution-in/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) > [I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-am-not-unmindful-that-some-of-you-have-come-here-out-of-great/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [... happily the Government of the United States... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/happily-the-government-of-the-united-states-gives-to-bigotry-no/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no truth sure enough to justify persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/there-is-no-truth-sure-enough-to-justify-persecution/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Knowledge of God's Word is a bulwark against deception, temptation, accusation, even persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-louis-cole/knowledge-of-god-s-word-is-a-bulwark-against-deception-temptation/) [Edwin Louis Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-louis-cole/) > [Persecution matures young rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-suyin/persecution-matures-young-rebels/) [Han Suyin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-suyin/) > [“People talk about history and things like slavery, genocide, and religious persecution as horrors that happened in the past because we were ignorant. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-matthew-nespoli/people-talk-about-history-and-things-like-slavery-genocide-and/) [J. Matthew Nespoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-matthew-nespoli/) > [Persecution, in short, is like the goldsmith's stamp on real silver and gold - it is one of the marks of a converted man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/persecution-in-short-is-like-the-goldsmith-s-stamp-on-real-silver-and/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) ## More by Charles Haddon Spurgeon > [“Do you talk about yourself like that? You feel you are good for nothing. You are like the bruised reed and the smoldering wick.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/do-you-talk-about-yourself-like-that-you-feel-you-are-good-for/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“If God calls to arduous duty, He is prepared to give all needed grace for doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/if-god-calls-to-arduous-duty-he-is-prepared-to-give-all-needed-grace/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“The minister is not responsible for his success. However, he is responsible for what he preaches. 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It never excuses sin: it pardons it, but only through an atonement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/we-must-not-forget-that-the-gospel-of-christ-is-holy-it-never-excuses/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“We need clouds and darkness to exercise our faith; to cut off reliance on self, and make us put more faith in Christ. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/we-need-clouds-and-darkness-to-exercise-our-faith-to-cut-off-reliance/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“All things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23 Many professed Christians are always doubting and fearing, and they forlornly think that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/all-things-are-possible-to-him-that-believeth-mark-9-23-many/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“By faith, we understand that we are just like the children of Israel. Whatever our needs are, the Eternal God is our source. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/by-faith-we-understand-that-we-are-just-like-the-children-of-israel/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“It is disobedience and not obedience that prompts us to select from the commands of Christ which ones we care to obey.”–1893, Sermon 2317 “No”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/it-is-disobedience-and-not-obedience-that-prompts-us-to-select-from/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“I think of the smoldering wick as the backsliding Christian, one who has been a burning and shining light in his day, but has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/i-think-of-the-smoldering-wick-as-the-backsliding-christian-one-who/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“Depression so frightening that I hope none of you will ever experience such severe misery. But I always get back to this, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/depression-so-frightening-that-i-hope-none-of-you-will-ever/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“When we rank a properous providence of God higher than an adverse one, is that not despising the discipline of the Lord? I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/when-we-rank-a-properous-providence-of-god-higher-than-an-adverse-one/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“It is not great faith but true faith that saves. And the salvation lies not in the faith but in the Christ in whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/it-is-not-great-faith-but-true-faith-that-saves-and-the-salvation/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) [Explore all 104 Charles Haddon Spurgeon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) ## More Grace quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/grace-does-not-destroy-nature-it-perfects-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Asanas bring perfection in body, beauty in form, grace, strength, compactness, and the hardness and brilliance of a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/asanas-bring-perfection-in-body-beauty-in-form-grace-strength/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“God reproduces and lives out His image in millions of ordinary people like us. It is a supreme mystery. We are called to bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-reproduces-and-lives-out-his-image-in-millions-of-ordinary-people/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Grace is upside-down, to-do-list wrecking, scandalous and way-too free. It's one-way love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/grace-is-upside-down-to-do-list-wrecking-scandalous-and-way-too-free/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) [Browse all 6,886 Grace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“However, before long, you find it has always happened that the low tide returns. The ocean of grace seemed to recede; the Church was driven back by either persecution or internal decay. Instead of winning against the wickedness of the world, the wickedness of the world overcame her. Where righteousness flowed like the waves of the sea, there was the black mud and muck of the filthiness of mankind. The Church was in mourning. She was like the Israelites in captivity when they sat down and wept by the rivers of Babylon as they remembered their former glory and wept over their present emptiness. 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