To concentrate on service and activity for God may often actively thwart our attaining of the true goal, God Himself. At first sight it seems heroic to fling our lives away in the service of God and of our fellows. We feel it is bound to mean more to Him than our experience of Him. Service seems so unselfish, whereas concentrating on our walk with God seems selfish and self-centered. But it is the very reverse. The things that God is most concerned about are our coldness of heart towards Himself and our proud, unbroken natures. Christian service of itself can, and so often does, leave our self-centered nature untouched… With those things hidden in our hearts, we have only to work alongside others, and find resentment, hardness, criticism, jealousy, and frustration issuing from our hearts. We think we are working for God, but the test of how little of our service for Him is revealed by our resentment or self-pity… We need to leave our lusting for ever-larger spheres of Christian service and concentrate on seeing God for ourselves and finding the deep answer for life in Him.
— Roy Hession (1908–1992), Autor
Topics: Service & Love of Neighbour, Discipleship, Humility & Pride
Occasions: For Reflection
Roy Hession
Roy Hession (1908–1992) war ein britischer evangelikaler Evangelist und Buchautor, der international auf Konferenzen und Missionsreisen wirkte. Stark geprägt von Impulsen der ostafrikanischen Erweckungsbewegung, wurde er vor allem durch sein Buch „Der Weg von Golgatha“ bekannt und betonte persönliche Buße, Demut sowie Erneuerung durch das Kreuz Christi. Für Bibelleser bieten seine Schriften bis heute Anstöße zur geistlichen Selbstprüfung und zum Leben aus der Gnade, auch wenn Zeitgenossen an seinem Ansatz mitunter eine zu starke Introspektion bemängelten.
All quotes by Roy Hession (13)
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa
Prayer does not equip us for greater works – prayer is the greater work.
Oswald Chambers
In our own woundedness, we can become sources of life for others.
Henri Nouwen
There are two ways to do good: to give and to forgive.
Augustine of Hippo
The world consists of nothing but opportunities for love.
Søren Kierkegaard
We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love.
Mother Teresa
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.
Frederick Buechner
Etty Hillesum