--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God's ability to clean things up is…" description: "\"God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.\" — Tullian Tchividjian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png" --- # God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater… ![“God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.” quote by Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png) > “God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.” [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine restoration far exceeds human destruction, emphasizing reliance on higher power for healing. **In simple terms:** God can fix more than we break. Key Takeaway Trust in divine repair. Themes faith redemption humility Mood reflective hopeful Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - environmental repair - community rebuilding Key Concepts theology grace restoration Questions to Reflect On - How can we invite divine assistance in daily setbacks? - What limits does human responsibility have? A Different Perspective Human error still matters; divine help may not be immediate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [God Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-ability-317433/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Greater Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-ability-636870/) [Infinitely Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinitely-greater-480548/) [Mess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mess/) [Things Infinitely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-infinitely-1542928/) ## Related quotes > [The less you 'think' you know, the greater your ability to learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/the-less-you-think-you-know-the-greater-your-ability-to-learn-and-grow/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important." - Sherlock Holmes in A Case of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-arthur-conan-doyle/it-has-long-been-an-axiom-of-mine-that-the-little-things-are-2/) [Sir Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Science is Christian, not when it condemns itself to the letter of things, but when, in the infinitely little, it discovers as many mysteries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-quinet/science-is-christian-not-when-it-condemns-itself-to-the-letter-of/) [Edgar Quinet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-quinet/) > [In the same way, the world is not the sum of all the things that are in it. It is the infinitely complex network…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/in-the-same-way-the-world-is-not-the-sum-of-all-the-things-that-are/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [My addition to the list: The little things are infinitely the most important memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhatsprincess/my-addition-to-the-list-the-little-things-are-infinitely-the-most/) [ZhatsPrincess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhatsprincess/) > [“… the little things are infinitely the most important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/the-little-things-are-infinitely-the-most-important/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-has-long-been-an-axiom-of-mine-that-the-little-things-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great CREATOR of all things has infinitely diversified the works of his hands, but has at the same time stamped a certain similitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erasmus-darwin/the-great-creator-of-all-things-has-infinitely-diversified-the-works/) [Erasmus Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erasmus-darwin/) > [“They are looking outside for scraps of pleasure or fulfillment, for validation, security, or love, while they have a treasure within that not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/they-are-looking-outside-for-scraps-of-pleasure-or-fulfillment-for/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“You can take the smartest kid at Wharton, the one who gets straight A’s and has a 170 IQ, and if he doesn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-j-trump/you-can-take-the-smartest-kid-at-wharton-the-one-who-gets-straight-a/) [Donald J. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-j-trump/) > [People with stronger friendships have the greater ability to communicate strictly through facial expressions..!! :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-with-stronger-friendships-have-the-greater-ability-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Somewhere out there are a few men with more innate talent at golf than Jack Nicklaus, or women with greater ability at tennis than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/somewhere-out-there-are-a-few-men-with-more-innate-talent-at-golf/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Gold was not sure of many things, but he was definite about one: for every successful person he knew, he could name at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/gold-was-not-sure-of-many-things-but-he-was-definite-about-one-for/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [With more success comes greater problems along with greater ability to solve them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/with-more-success-comes-greater-problems-along-with-greater-ability/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [“A person's will is enabled, strengthened, by love. The greater their ability to dwell in love, the more potent their will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-a-armstrong/a-person-s-will-is-enabled-strengthened-by-love-the-greater-their/) [Alison A. Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-a-armstrong/) ## More by Tullian Tchividjian > [Grace is upside-down, to-do-list wrecking, scandalous and way-too free. It's one-way love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/grace-is-upside-down-to-do-list-wrecking-scandalous-and-way-too-free/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“There is but one good,” C. S. Lewis writes in The Great Divorce; “that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/there-is-but-one-good-c-s-lewis-writes-in-the-great-divorce-that-is/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Once God saves us He doesn't move us beyond the gospel, but He moves us more deeply into the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/once-god-saves-us-he-doesn-t-move-us-beyond-the-gospel-but-he-moves/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“An institution theoretically devoted to providing comfort to those in need (the church) is in trouble because it has embraced the same pressure cooker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/an-institution-theoretically-devoted-to-providing-comfort-to-those-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [A preacher who doesn't believe he's that bad will attract people who don't think they're that bad. And that's bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/a-preacher-who-doesn-t-believe-he-s-that-bad-will-attract-people-who/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Our assurance is anchored in the love and grace of God expressed in the glorious exchange: our sin for His righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/our-assurance-is-anchored-in-the-love-and-grace-of-god-expressed-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [I think for far too long the Church has concluded that Christians don't need the gospel, it's simple what non-Christian people need in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/i-think-for-far-too-long-the-church-has-concluded-that-christians-don/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [While our sin reaches far, God's grace reaches farther. God came after us not to strip away our freedom but to strip away our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/while-our-sin-reaches-far-god-s-grace-reaches-farther-god-came-after/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Jesus has done everything for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/jesus-has-done-everything-for-you/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [If you have suffered the loss of a family member to chronic disease, if you suffer debilitating seasons of depression, if you have lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/if-you-have-suffered-the-loss-of-a-family-member-to-chronic-disease/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Sanctification consists of the daily realization that in Christ we have died, and in Christ we have been raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/sanctification-consists-of-the-daily-realization-that-in-christ-we/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The ironic thing about legalism is that it not only doesn't make people work harder, it makes them give up. Moralism doesn't produce morality;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-ironic-thing-about-legalism-is-that-it-not-only-doesn-t-make/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The good news of suffering is that it brings us to the end of ourselves - a purpose it has certainly served in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-good-news-of-suffering-is-that-it-brings-us-to-the-end-of/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The Gospel is not ultimately a defense from pain, it is the message of God's rescue through pain. In fact, it allows us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-gospel-is-not-ultimately-a-defense-from-pain-it-is-the-message-of/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [God is inviting you today to appropriately grieve your pains and losses and to acknowledge the world is seriously broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-is-inviting-you-today-to-appropriately-grieve-your-pains-and/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) [Explore all 292 Tullian Tchividjian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tullian Tchividjian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infinitely-greater-than-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infinitely-greater-than-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/tullian-tchividjian-1105_ability_god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infi_3160990.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.” — Tullian Tchividjian", "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": "Tullian Tchividjian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God's ability to clean things up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infinitely-greater-than-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-s-ability-to-clean-things-up-is-infinitely-greater-than-our/#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 } } ] } ```