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Thoughts On A Quote

“That man is perfect in faith who can come to God in the utter dearth of his feelings and desires, without a glow or an aspiration, with the weight of low thoughts, failures, neglects, and wandering forgetfulness, and say to Him, ‘Thou art my refuge.’”     - George MacDonald

Thoughts?

Todd

Jan 11, 2011 25 Posted in Blog Tagged
  • Paul Holderman

    There is hope for me, then. Good quote; I need to read more of G-Mac.

  • Christina W

    Thank You I needed that reminder today, lost in my own head I should be sharing my thoughts with the one who care the more.

    My favorite qutoe “Go to the Throne before the phone” Unknown to me on who originally said that.

  • Lisa Ramsey

    Such truth, God spoke a word over me, after a Pastor friend jokingly called me Jobette (a female Job). He said, “I count you worthy, you are no different than Paul, Job, Peter or John. I counted them worthy to carry my message, You are just as worthy.” So mo matter the circumstances in life, Christ counts us worthy and wants us to bring our heart aches and desperation to Him. So that He can give us a new song. So that we can tell our story for His glory!!!!

  • http://j john minton

    spoken from the heart of a true father……he only wants us to come to him the way we are….and trust him….

  • http://www.kinshipministries.bravehost.com MaryAnnRosser

    “That man is perfect in faith…”
    QUESTION: Are we capable of this? perfect in faith? perfect in anything? I find that in spite of MY best ‘efforts’ there is almost always a flaw in everything I do. How many times have I put forth my best effort in faith believing, but found that in the end I still have to acknowledge my dependance on God to fill in where my personal power leaves off?

    .”..who can come to God in the utter dearth of his feelings and desires, without a glow or an aspiration, with the weight of low thoughts, failures, neglects, and wandering forgetfulness, and say to Him, ‘Thou art my refuge.’” – George MacDonald

    QUESTION: How can I deny the faithfulness of a forgiving God who lifts me up in all of the circumstances of life and continue to lack faith that he is my one true provider/protector/Savior/comforter? I have to admit that despite all my ‘trying’ and digging into the innermost part of my soul for the faith I know I need to exude, I still wonder if God ‘will do this for me’ as he does for others.’ I have no doubt that he can, but ‘will’ he is always my question.

    The truth is, I have found that people who are firmly grounded in their faith admit to the same issue and I believe it is because WE ARE FLAWED and our perfection ONLY comes from the blood of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ covering all of our imperfections. I simply cannot create my own faith. He gave everyone a ‘measure of faith’ and it truly is up to us to exercise it as a body builder lifts weights…it is painful, but necessary if we want to bulk up. So I keep trying…and relying…in faith and hope for a future life in the kingdom of heaven.

    In theory, I agree with the quote. The question for me still is whether or not I get to that point of emptiness where my soul says “empty me of what I think you are, who I think you are and fill me with who you truly are…and I will rest.

  • Angel Rivera

    You know, that is exactly the season in life that I am in. Perfect in faith…when there is nothing else to depend on but Him…because there is nothing in our own power, strength, intelligence, spirit or self-sufficiency left to fall back on. We are then devoid of everything that would keep us from completely receiving His full amount grace, unmerited, underserved favor. May I be made worthy to receive the promises He speaks over me and my marriage, and my family, and ultimately, the ministry He is wanting to give our family. It is in this emptiness of self that our Lord is most visible.

  • http://www.plumfieldlearning.com Lori Ventola

    Wellllll….I’ve never been big on the “poor, miserable sinner” thing, so I guess it depends on the context. Is he saying that in order to have perfect faith we need to be in that condition? If so, I would say I disagree (and I LOVE George MacDonald). I don’t want to stay in that place, just to be a really really good miserable sinner who really really needs to be saved. I do have some glow and aspiration, and I’m rarely as weighted down as this describes.

    On the other hand, he may be saying that if you can *still* come to God in that condition, your faith is perfect. In other words, it’s hard to come to God that way, so it takes perfect faith to do it. That sounds right to me, but maybe kinda obvious.

  • Joie

    wow, how imperfect my faith.

  • Scott

    True and utter dependence on God and His perfect grace, understood from the perspective of one who has found that perfect grace. To know, that in and of ourselves, we have absolutely nothing to offer but our love, to the One who offers us His unconditional love and acceptance, thru His son, Jesus. To God be all praise and glory forever and always, Amen.

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  • Kendra Lau

    Great quote. That’s where David was when Nathan confronted him regarding his sins of adultery and murder. That’s also where he was before the Lord when God gave him 3 choices of punishment for counting his men. He never wanted to be out of God’s hand. Neither do I. He is our faithful refuge, even when we fall….especially when we fall.
    Praise You Lord!!

  • http://brokenpeople.org Brenda Branson

    The quote sounds like someone who has finally realized the futility of finding security and stability through his own arrogant attempts at making life work. He comes to God as a broken man with nothing to offer, knowing he will find refuge in God’s generous mercy. His “perfect” faith could be called mature faith that has been tested over a lifetime. He has finally caught a vision of who he is (pompous dust) and who God really is.

  • Kara

    If I understand this correctly, coming before God while understanding our weakness and need of Him equals perfect faith. I don’t know if that is true, but I do know that there is no other way to approach God. I can’t even imagine coming to Him with the thought that I am in any way worthy to be in His presence apart from the blood of His very own Son that He gave to me in the first place. I know that I am loved and cherished by Him, and that gives me worth, but even that comes from Him. Isn’t He amazing?!

  • Bree

    God truly loves us the way we are and has such grace and mercy

  • Clint

    “perfect” faith is total dependence, or true knowledge of it. I dont mean a head knowledge, but the knowledge of experience. You can learn how deep the grand canyon is easily, but the man that falls into it truly knows how deep it is. Everyone goes through various trials in life, but there are trials that strip you down to the core of your existence, much less your faith. When the waters of life have beaten you to total submission and you have no more strength to stand, when all you learned in church and in ministry is swept away, when you feel as though you are a single breath from entering into the gates of hell………if then you look up, and can still reach out and simply hold to the feet of Christ, that is perfect faith, because NOTHING else is left. I love this quote. Thanks for it, brother. I hope God continues to bless you and ythis ministry like yall have blessed us. Much Love

  • Peggy

    George MacDonald, how I love that man! It is not about ‘us’ or ‘me’. Do I measure up?, Do I do enough? I must not have enough faith, do my beliefs or doctrine line up, etc. etc. Instead of ‘lie wasting myself in ‘soul-sickening’ self-examination’ as George puts it in ‘The Truth of Jesus’ I just believe him. I trust him. He is the truth. Therefore I can go to him in all that I am NOT and all that I do not know and know that he will be who he is and can only be and there I will be safe. Perfect faith believing him and obeying him.

    George is very meaty and gives us a lot to chew on. He challenges us and makes us grow. I highly recommend ‘Unspoken Sermons’.

  • Tess

    If we can’t be real with God, who can we be real with? He alone is completely faithful and true.
    If you don’t mind I’d like to share a quote with you. It has me thinking, and it’s what I posted on my facebook page this morning:
    “Those who wish even to focus on the problem of a Christian ethic are faced with an outrageous demand-from the outset they must give up, as inappropriate to this topic, the very two questions that led them to deal with the ethical problem: ‘How can I be good?’ And ‘How can I do something good?’ Instead they must ask the wholly other, completely different question: ‘What is the will of God?’” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~
    Thank you for you indulgence and may you and yours be especially blessed!

  • http://twitter Brenda

    My thoughts are that as I come to the foot of the cross, there isn’t one good thing in me. If there is any good in me at all, it comes from the fact that the Father loves me and through a complete and total sacrifice, has given me those things that I can give back to Him. I can’t really love without the love that God has given me. I can’t be thankful without God pouring gratitude into my soul. My faith comes from the fact that God meets me exactly where I am, as unworthy as they come and reforms me and polishes me and then can even use me to bring Him glory. He is content to make me a continual work in progress. I don’t understand how that works, I am just completely confident that it does work. Thank God my salvation is not dependent on me at all. I love Him because he first loved me.

  • Joy

    I see what he was saying. Perfect faith means going to Him with everything, who you are, where you are, completely openly, and open yourself (low thoughts? failures? neglects? wandering forgetfulness? Sure sounds familiar to me. . .) and seek the refuge and comfort and protection only He can provide, rather than depending on ourselves for *anything.* It’s the open admission that we ALL have such wandering thoughts, the same impulses, the same flaws. . .all of us. We have to go to Him, and repent.

  • R. Dale Orcutt

    Our Jesus faith is ‘PERFECTED’ only when we REALIZE we’ve reached the bottom of OUR well, and have but one way to look for hope: UP!

  • Tracy Kerestesh

    Amen.. For He who IS without sin, does not cast the first stone.
    So we can take our little faith to Him, and He receives us..
    Thank God,,, where else can I run,,

  • http://Facebook Shawn Cochran

    When we come to the point in life that we truly see His greatness and unstoppable love for us do we realize that all the good we have done is from God’s own hand and all of the wrong we have done is when we insisted to Him that we can do it on our own. Without God we are nothing and God did not create us to be nothing. By His grace and love we are called to greater things and only through the power and unfathomable grace of Jesus can we accomplish the very calling that God has placed in each one of us. Wil we listen?

  • http://www.twitter.com/djragamuffin djragamuffin

    This reminds me that God is big enough to handle my anger, pain, disappointment and heart ache. It also tells me that God wants me broken. Being broken by God is scary.

  • Kara

    This quote reminds me of “Wait for Your rain” =o)

  • http://toddagnew.com Todd Agnew

    djragamuffin, that’s a great thought. I remember being in a similar state of mind years ago. I felt like God was breaking me over and over. In frustration, I finally asked “Why do you keep doing this to me?” In one of the few moments of actual clarity in my life, I felt God’s answer: “My desire is for you to stay broken. If you keep putting yourself back together, I will have to keep breaking you.” Terrifying, I agree, but amazing as well.