Quotes from The Imitation of Christ

“Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“If God were our one and only desire we would not be so easily upset when our opinions do not find outside acceptance.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Wherever you go, there you are.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“As long as you live, you will be subject to change, whether you will it or not - now glad, now sorrowful; now pleased, now displeased; now devout, now undevout; now vigorous, now slothful; now gloomy, now merry. But a wise man who is well taught in spiritual labor stands unshaken in all such things, and heeds little what he feels, or from what side the wind of instability blows.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Jesus has now many lovers of the heavenly kingdom but few bearers of His cross.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“God hath thus ordered it, that we may learn to bear one another’s burdens; for no man is without fault, no man without his burden, no man sufficient of himself, no man wise enough of himself; but we ought to bear with one another, comfort one another, help, instruct, and admonish one another.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“By two wings is man lifted above earthly things, even by
simplicity and purity. Simplicity ought to be in the intention,
purity in the affection.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Fight like a man. Habit is overcome by habit.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“It is good for us to have trials and troubles at times, for they often remind us that we are on probation and ought not to hope in any worldly thing. It is good for us sometimes to suffer contradiction, to be misjudged by men even though we do well and mean well. These things help us to be humble and shield us from vainglory. When to all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of us, then we are more inclined to seek God Who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“The Lord bestows his blessings there, where he finds the vessels empty.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger or higher or wider, nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller, and nothing better in heaven or on earth, for love is born of God and cannot rest except in God, Who is created above all things.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“All that is in the world is vanity except to love God and serve him only.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“God often grants in a moment what He has long denied.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Learned arguments do not make a man holy and righteous, whereas a good life makes him dear to God.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (Thus passes the glory of the world).”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“My child, I am the Lord Who gives strength in the day of trouble. Come to Me when all is not well with you. Your tardiness in turning to prayer is the greatest obstacle to heavenly consolation, for before you pray earnestly to Me you first seek many comforts and take pleasure in outward things. Thus, all things are of little profit to you until you realize that I am the one Who saves those who trust in Me, and that outside of Me there is no worth-while help, or any useful counsel or lasting remedy.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“If you wish to draw profit, read with humility, simplicity, and faith, and never with the design of gaining a reputation for learning.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“It is not really a small thing when in small things we resist self.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Let temporal things be in the use, eternal things in the desire.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Hence we must support one another, console one another, mutually help, counsel, and advise, for the measure of every man’s virtue is best revealed in time of adversity — adversity that does not weaken a man but rather shows what he is.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“At the least, bear patiently, if thou canst not joyfully. And although thou be very unwilling to hear it, and feel indignation, yet check thyself, and suffer no unadvised word to come forth from thy lips, whereby the little ones may be offended. Soon the storm which hath been raised shall be stilled, and inward grief shall be sweetened by returning grace.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“5. Be ofttimes mindful of the saying,(3) The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. Strive, therefore, to turn away thy heart from the love of the things that are seen, and to set it upon the things that are not seen. For they who follow after their own fleshly lusts, defile the conscience, and destroy the grace of God.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“Look at our fathers in the old days, living masterpieces as they are and shining examples of true religion; and see how feeble our own achievement is, almost nothing. Heaven help us, what is our life in comparison with theirs? Holy people these, true friends of Christ, that could go hungry and thirsty in God's service; cold and ill-clad, worn out with labors and vigils and fasting, with praying and meditating on holy things, with all the persecutions and insults they endured.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“He is not truly patient who will only suffer as far as seems right to him and from whom he pleases. The truly patient man considers not by whom he is tried, one above him, or by an equal, or by an inferior, whether by a good and holy man or by a perverse and unworthy, but from every creature. He gratefully accepts all from the hand of God and counts it gain.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“If you cannot recollect yourself continuously, do so once a day at least, in the morning or in the evening. In the morning make a resolution and in the evening examine yourself on what you have said this day, what you have done and thought, for in these things perhaps you have often offended God and those about you.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

“A lowly knowledge of thyself is a surer way to God than the deep searching of a man’s learnings. Not that learning is to be blamed, nor the taking account of anything that is good; but a good conscience and a holy life is better than all. And because many seek knowledge rather than good living, therefore they go astray, and bear little or no fruit.”
― Thomas à Kempis, quote from The Imitation of Christ

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Popular quotes

“No Mirrors in My Nana’s House” Sweet Honey in the Rock LYRICS BY YSAYE MARIA BARNWELL Sweet Honey in the Rock is a Grammy Award–winning vocal group of black women vocalists founded in 1973 by Bernice Johnson Reagon. The group’s members have changed during its long tenure, but it retains a core of five vocalists and a sign-language interpreter. Their performances are deeply embodied celebrations of black women’s lived experiences. The group’s name is derived from Psalm 81:16: “But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Sign-language interpreter Dr. Ysaye Barnwell joined Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1979 and appears in more than thirty recordings with the group. She is the author of one of the group’s most popular recordings, “No Mirrors in My Nana’s House.” It is a stirring piece that reveals how the loving protection of black women can shield black girls from a painful world that seeks to negate their beauty and worth. In 1998 the lyrics became a children’s book published by Harcourt Brace. There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house, no mirrors in my Nana’s house. There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house, no mirrors in my Nana’s house. And the beauty that I saw in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun). I never knew that my skin was too black. I never knew that my nose was too flat. I never knew that my clothes didn’t fit. I never knew there were things that I’d missed, cause the beauty in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun); . . . was in her eyes. There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house, no mirrors in my Nana’s house. And the beauty that I saw in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun). I was intrigued by the cracks in the walls. I tasted, with joy, the dust that would fall. The noise in the hallway was music to me. The trash and the rubbish just cushioned my feet. And the beauty in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun). . . . was in her eyes. There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house, no mirrors in my Nana’s house. And the beauty that I saw in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun). The world outside was a magical place. I only knew love. I never knew hate, and the beauty in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun). . . . was in her eyes. There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house, no mirrors in my Nana’s house. There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house, no mirrors in my Nana’s house. And the beauty that I saw in everything was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).”
― Melissa V. Harris-Perry, quote from Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America

“The secret of marriage is thinking that your partner is better than yourself.”
― Molly Peacock, quote from The Paper Garden: Mrs. Delany Begins Her Life's Work at 72

“A good logger does not raze the forest, but only thins it.”
― LaVyrle Spencer, quote from The Endearment

“Yeah…hey, you have a male here.” Shay walked toward the hall, sniffing the air. “And he’s human. Way to go, Dani!”
― Lia Davis, quote from Winter Eve

“I have no doubt he’ll hurt me. But he’ll do it on clean satin sheets in romantic lighting.”
― Kitty Thomas, quote from The Last Girl

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BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

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