--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how…" description: "\"“Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how what he called the “sinkhole syndrome” happens in a human life. It may be triggered by a failure at work, a seve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png" --- # Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how what he called the… ![“Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how what he called the “sinkhole syndrome” happens in a human life. It may be triggered by a failure at work, a severed relationship, harsh criticism from a parent, or for no apparent reason at all. But it feels like the earth has given way. It turns out…” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png) > ““Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how what he called the “sinkhole syndrome” happens in a human life. It may be triggered by a failure at work, a severed relationship, harsh criticism from a parent, or for no apparent reason at all. But it feels like the earth has given way. It turns out, MacDonald wrote, that in a sense we have two worlds to manage: an outer world of career and possessions and social networks; and an inner world that is more spiritual in nature, where values are selected and character is formed — a place where worship and confession and humility can be practiced. Because our outer worlds are visible and measurable and expandable, they are easier to deal with. They demand our attention. “The result is that our private world is often cheated, neglected because it does not shout quite so loudly. It can be effectively ignored for large periods of time before it gives way to a sinkhole-like cave-in.” He quotes the haunting words of Oscar Wilde: “I was no longer captain of my own soul.” The sinkhole, says MacDonald, is the picture of spiritual vulnerability in our day.”” [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The “sinkhole syndrome” warns that neglecting inner spiritual health can cause sudden collapse, urging balanced care of inner and outer life. **In simple terms:** Neglecting inner life leads to crisis. Key Takeaway Nurture inner values alongside external goals. Themes spirituality balance vulnerability well‑being Mood thoughtful cautionary Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career stress - relationship breakdown - parental criticism - personal reflection Key Concepts inner world personal growth psychological health Questions to Reflect On - What practices protect your inner world? - How do you notice early signs of imbalance? A Different Perspective Inner work is harder to measure, making it easy to ignore. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called Sinkhole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-sinkhole-2171957/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Inner world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-world/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Outer worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outer-worlds/) [Sinkhole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinkhole-1094603/) [Sinkhole Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinkhole-says-2171955/) [Sinkhole Syndrome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinkhole-syndrome-2171954/) [Soul Sinkhole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-sinkhole-2171956/) ## Related quotes > [“My fingers curl through the holes in the wicker, through the wet grass beneath it, trying to hold tight to the sharp blades of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/my-fingers-curl-through-the-holes-in-the-wicker-through-the-wet-grass/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [“Everyone knows you only want to look at the sinkhole because you love a good disaster. Get back to work, Fuller. I don't pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/everyone-knows-you-only-want-to-look-at-the-sinkhole-because-you-love/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Self-pity is... a sinkhole from which no rescuing hand can drag you because you have chosen to sink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/self-pity-is-a-sinkhole-from-which-no-rescuing-hand-can-drag-you/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“Many suburban legislators representing affluent school districts use terms such as "sinkhole" when opposing funding for Chicago's children. "We can't keep throwing money," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/many-suburban-legislators-representing-affluent-school-districts-use/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [I slithered out of the sinkhole on my stomach. It was not the sexiest move I'd ever performed, but I was impressed nonetheless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-slithered-out-of-the-sinkhole-on-my-stomach-it-was-not-the-sexiest/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“The place is a vast sinkhole of inhumanity.” “I wonder if any of those men will ever find their way back from”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-lowry-logan/the-place-is-a-vast-sinkhole-of-inhumanity-i-wonder-if-any-of-those/) [Katherine Lowry Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-lowry-logan/) > [I fell headfirst into a sinkhole of pretty things, and the world inside your eyelids is just as big as the one outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/i-fell-headfirst-into-a-sinkhole-of-pretty-things-and-the-world/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) > [The inner world is the world of your requirements and your energies and your structure and your possibilities that meets the outer world. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-inner-world-is-the-world-of-your-requirements-and-your-energies/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [I simply don't become attached to the outer world or to anything. I work for God. I do the very best I can, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drunvalo-melchizedek/i-simply-don-t-become-attached-to-the-outer-world-or-to-anything-i/) [Drunvalo Melchizedek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drunvalo-melchizedek/) > [Conscious means "having an awareness of one's inner and outer worlds; mentally perceptive, awake, mindful." So "conscious business" might mean, engaging in an occupation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/conscious-means-having-an-awareness-of-one-s-inner-and-outer-worlds/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [We will see beauty in the outer world when we are able to see beauty within ourselves. And this is the best thing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/we-will-see-beauty-in-the-outer-world-when-we-are-able-to-see-beauty/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [Half of humanity has been accepting the inner world but denying the outer world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/half-of-humanity-has-been-accepting-the-inner-world-but-denying-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [And the Truth turns out to be nothing less than the amazing but undeniable fact that the whole outer world -whether it be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmet-fox/and-the-truth-turns-out-to-be-nothing-less-than-the-amazing-but/) [Emmet Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmet-fox/) > [The greatest secret to living a happy, fulfilled life is the realization that everything is created in our minds before it manifests itself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/the-greatest-secret-to-living-a-happy-fulfilled-life-is-the/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [Establish an atmosphere that energizes you. Some creative people flourish in confusion; others need to be free from interruption. Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) ## More by John Ortberg > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [If we are serious about loving God, we must begin with people, all people. And especially we must learn to love those that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/if-we-are-serious-about-loving-god-we-must-begin-with-people-all/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The greatest bloodbaths in the history of the human race were recorded in the twentieth century in countries that sought to eliminate God, worship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-greatest-bloodbaths-in-the-history-of-the-human-race-were/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [There is no way for a human being to come to God that does not involve surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/there-is-no-way-for-a-human-being-to-come-to-god-that-does-not/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Will you keep going when you don't know why? When you can't get any answers that would make the pain go away, will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/will-you-keep-going-when-you-don-t-know-why-when-you-can-t-get-any/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Death is the prerequisite to resurrection, the new life God intends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/death-is-the-prerequisite-to-resurrection-the-new-life-god-intends/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [From ancient times, the core idea of the soul is the soul is the capacity to integrate different functions into a single being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/from-ancient-times-the-core-idea-of-the-soul-is-the-soul-is-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/hurry-is-the-great-enemy-of-spiritual-life-in-our-day-you-must/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [In reality, each thought we have carries with it a little spiritual power, a tug toward or away from God. No thought is purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/in-reality-each-thought-we-have-carries-with-it-a-little-spiritual/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The miracle of Sunday is that a dead man lives. The miracle of Saturday is that the eternal Son of God lies dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-miracle-of-sunday-is-that-a-dead-man-lives-the-miracle-of/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“The most important thing about you,” Dallas would often say, “is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-most-important-thing-about-you-dallas-would-often-say-is-not-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/jesus-had-a-universal-concern-for-those-who-suffered-that-transcended/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [God is a God of endless opportunities to do good; the God of the open door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-is-a-god-of-endless-opportunities-to-do-good-the-god-of-the-open/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. Others may offer support or empathy, but no one can walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/one-of-the-most-painful-aspects-of-suffering-is-the-loneliness-of-it/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) [Explore all 325 John Ortberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how what he called the “sinkhole syndrome” happens in a human life. It may be triggered by a failure at work, a severed relationship, harsh criticism from a parent, or for no apparent reason at all. But it feels like the earth has given way. It turns out, MacDonald wrote, that in a sense we have two worlds to manage: an outer world of career and possessions and social networks; and an inner world that is more spiritual in nature, where values are selected and character is formed — a place where worship and confession and humility can be practiced. Because our outer worlds are visible and measurable and expandable, they are easier to deal with. They demand our attention. “The result is that our private world is often cheated, neglected because it does not shout quite so loudly. It can be effectively ignored for large periods of time before it gives way to a sinkhole-like cave-in.” He quotes the haunting words of Oscar Wilde: “I was no longer captain of my own soul.” The sinkhole, says MacDonald, is the picture of spiritual vulnerability in our day.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ortberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-what-he-called-the-sinkhole/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-what-he-called-the-sinkhole/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/john-ortberg-932_failure_gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-wh_2628754.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how what he called the “sinkhole syndrome” happens in a human life. It may…” — John Ortberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Ortberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Gordon MacDonald once wrote about how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-what-he-called-the-sinkhole/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/gordon-macdonald-once-wrote-about-how-what-he-called-the-sinkhole/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```