Able Quote by Thomas Merton
“Place no hope in the feeling of assurance, in spiritual comfort. You may well have to get along without this. Place no hope in the inspirational preachers of Christian sunshine, who are able to pick you up and set you back on your feet and make you feel good for three or four days-until you fold up and collapse into despair. Self-confidence is a precious natural gift, a sign of health. But it is not the same thing as faith. Faith is much deeper, and it must be deep enough to subsist when we are weak, when we are sick, when our self-confidence is gone, when our self-respect is gone.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: No Man Is an Island, 1945
True confidence is an inner, stable gift, while faith is a deeper, enduring trust that persists beyond personal strength or comfort.
In simple terms: Confidence is inner; faith endures beyond comfort.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate inner confidence and deep faith.
Themes
faith
confidence
resilience
spirituality
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
spiritual
motivational
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- spiritual practice
- mental health
- leadership
Key Concepts
trust
inner strength
dependence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you sustain faith in adversity?
- What distinguishes confidence from faith?
A Different Perspective
Faith may be challenged by extreme hardship.
