Faith Quote by Richard Rohr
““Good powerlessness (because there is also a bad powerlessness) allows you to “fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). You stop holding yourself up, so you can be held. There, wonderfully, you are not in control and only God needs to be right. That is always the very special space of any positive powerlessness and vulnerability, but it is admittedly rare. Faith can only happen in this very special threshold space. You don’t really do faith, it happens to you when you give up control and all the steering of your ship. Frankly, we often do it when we have no other choice. Faith hardly ever happens when we rush to judgment or seek too-quick resolution of anything. Thus you see why faith will invariably be a minority and suspect position. And you also see why the saints always said that faith is a gift. You fall into it more than ever fully choosing it, and only then do you know how grace, love, and God can sustain you and strengthen you at very deep levels.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Immortal Diamond, Richard Rohr, 1995
Faith arises when we relinquish control, entering a vulnerable space where divine grace can act.
In simple terms: Faith comes from letting go and trusting God.
Key Takeaway
Release control to experience deeper grace.
Themes
faith
vulnerability
divine grace
control
trust
gift
Mood
reflective
hopeful
reverent
Type
theological
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- spiritual seeking
- loss of control
- decision making
- prayer
Key Concepts
spiritual surrender
theology
human limitation
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you felt forced to surrender?
- How does letting go change your perception of control?
A Different Perspective
Faith may be scarce when people demand quick answers or cling to self‑reliance.
