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Ask yourself Quote by Frederick Buechner

“If you tell me Christian commitment is a kind of thing that has happened to you once and for all like some kind of spiritual plastic surgery, I say go to, go to, you're either pulling the wool over your own eyes or trying to pull it over mine. Every morning you should wake up in your bed and ask…” quote by Frederick Buechner
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““If you tell me Christian commitment is a kind of thing that has happened to you once and for all like some kind of spiritual plastic surgery, I say go to, go to, you're either pulling the wool over your own eyes or trying to pull it over mine. Every morning you should wake up in your bed and ask yourself: "Can I believe it all again today?" No, better still, don't ask it till after you've read The New York Times , till after you've studied that daily record of the world's brokenness and corruption, which should always stand side by side with your Bible. Then ask yourself if you can believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ again for that particular day. If your answer's always Yes, then you probably don't know what believing means. At least five times out of ten the answer should be No because the No is as important as the Yes, maybe more so. The No is what proves you're human in case you should ever doubt it. And then if some morning the answer happens to be really Yes, it should be a Yes that's choked with confession and tears and. . . great laughter.””

Frederick Buechner

About This Quote

Source Book: The Book of Buechner, 2006

Faith is a daily, honest struggle where doubt and belief coexist, requiring continual self‑examination and humility.

In simple terms: Faith needs daily questioning and honesty.

Key Takeaway

Embrace doubt as part of belief.

Themes

faith doubt humility spirituality

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • morning reflection
  • reading news
  • studying scripture
  • personal journaling

Key Concepts

existentialism theology psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does daily doubt shape your faith?
  • What role does honesty play in belief?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on doubt can lead to paralysis if not balanced with hope.

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