--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I experience God as the power of love." description: "\"I experience God as the power of love.\" — John Shelby Spong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png" --- # I experience God as the power of love. ![“I experience God as the power of love.” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png) > “I experience God as the power of love.” [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God is experienced as love’s power, suggesting a relational, compassionate divine. **In simple terms:** God equals love’s power. Key Takeaway Embrace love as divine. Themes theology love spirituality Mood hopeful introspective Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - counseling - community service - artistic expression Key Concepts Christianity modern theology Questions to Reflect On - How does love shape your faith? - What role does justice play in divinity? A Different Perspective Viewing God solely as love may overlook justice aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-love/) ## Related quotes > [I think I can tell you how I experience God. I experience God as the power of life calling me to live, I experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-think-i-can-tell-you-how-i-experience-god-i-experience-god-as-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I experience God as the power of life, the power of love and the ground of being. I don't say that's what God is;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-life-the-power-of-love-and-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [There is no greater power than the power of love, which arises from Presence. It overcomes all resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/there-is-no-greater-power-than-the-power-of-love-which-arises-from/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [Weakness is hard, but it doesn't have to mean defeat. It's our opportunity to experience God's power firsthand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/weakness-is-hard-but-it-doesn-t-have-to-mean-defeat-it-s-our/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [Evil is real - but so is God's power and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/evil-is-real-but-so-is-god-s-power-and-love/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World.When I first reached through to it,I thought the Soul of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-is-the-force-that-transforms-and-improves-the-soul-of-the-world/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The cultural transformation from the love of power to the power of love is the drama of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anodea-judith/the-cultural-transformation-from-the-love-of-power-to-the-power-of/) [Anodea Judith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anodea-judith/) > [When humans truly discover the power of love, it will prove more important than the harnessing of fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/when-humans-truly-discover-the-power-of-love-it-will-prove-more/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [Love is the single most powerful and important word and notion in culture and language. Until the power of love supersedes the love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/love-is-the-single-most-powerful-and-important-word-and-notion-in/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, they will find peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/when-the-power-of-love-overcomes-the-love-of-power-they-will-find/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [For people to be able to sit down together and have a conversation, that's the power of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jada-pinkett-smith/for-people-to-be-able-to-sit-down-together-and-have-a-conversation/) [Jada Pinkett Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jada-pinkett-smith/) > [Spirit of love enwraps our nature captures anger while shielding away danger. Power of Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-long/spirit-of-love-enwraps-our-nature-captures-anger-while-shielding-away/) [Sonny Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-long/) > [“Hope reminds us of the power of love and clears the path toward the highest good for all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/hope-reminds-us-of-the-power-of-love-and-clears-the-path-toward-the/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-look-forward-to-the-time-when-the-power-of-love-will-replace-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The power of love - there's nothing more powerful than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haaz-sleiman/the-power-of-love-there-s-nothing-more-powerful-than-that/) [Haaz Sleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haaz-sleiman/) ## More by John Shelby Spong > [The way that I see Christianity is that its role is to enhance the life of every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-way-that-i-see-christianity-is-that-its-role-is-to-enhance-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Sins of Scripture is an interesting title; most people don't put sins and scripture together in the same title. It jars people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-sins-of-scripture-is-an-interesting-title-most-people-don-t-put/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-humanity-can-be-humanity-and/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. The primary reason the old idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-see-jesus-as-rescuing-the-fallen-i-see-jesus-as-expanding-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible interprets life from its particular perspective; it does not record in a factual way the human journey through history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-interprets-life-from-its-particular-perspective-it-does-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [My basis of morality is this: does this action enhance life, or does it denigrate life? Does it build up or does it tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/my-basis-of-morality-is-this-does-this-action-enhance-life-or-does-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I want the traditional family upheld, but I don't want it upheld to the detriment of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-want-the-traditional-family-upheld-but-i-don-t-want-it-upheld-to/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible was written between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago, and it's filled with the knowledge that people had in that period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-was-written-between-3-000-and-2-000-years-ago-and-it-s/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We are in a survival mentality, and that's hard-wired into our humanity, because we are the winners of an evolutionary struggle of millions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-are-in-a-survival-mentality-and-that-s-hard-wired-into-our/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Some people think prayer stops bullets or rockets or land mines. It doesn't. That's magic, that's not God. Sometimes, you're just in the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/some-people-think-prayer-stops-bullets-or-rockets-or-land-mines-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-hebrew-scriptures-say-it-s-okay-to-enslave-anybody-except-your/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I know Jerry \[Falwell\] fairly well, and he's probably not bright enough to recognize all of the implications of what he said. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-know-jerry-falwell-fairly-well-and-he-s-probably-not-bright-enough/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Benedict XVI kept saying that homosexuals are deviant. They're not deviant. They're deviant only if you say that anyone who is different from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/benedict-xvi-kept-saying-that-homosexuals-are-deviant-they-re-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I find it fascinating that Paul \[the apostol\], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apostol-writing-to-the-galatians/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) [Explore all 236 John Shelby Spong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I experience God as the power of love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Shelby Spong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/john-shelby-spong-1488_experience_i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love-14_1446481.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I experience God as the power of love.” — John Shelby Spong", "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 Shelby Spong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I experience God as the power...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-experience-god-as-the-power-of-love/#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 } } ] } ```