“Until we mature enough to understand that God uses everything for good in our lives, we harbor resentment toward God over our appearance, background, unanswered prayers, past hurts, and other things we would change if we were God. People often blame God for hurts caused by others. This creates what William Backus calls “your hidden rift with God.”
―
Rick Warren
“This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality. Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on earth when he’s planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven.
―
Rick Warren
“God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about him. His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input!”
―
Rick Warren
“Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test... You will be tested by major changes, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, undeserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies.”
―
Rick Warren
“Para evitar que nos aferremos demasiado a esta tierra, Dios permite que experimentemos algún grado de incomodidad y tristeza en nuestras vidas, o sea, anhelos que nunca serán satisfechos de este lado de la eternidad.”
―
Rick Warren
“the two biggest hindrances to living the life God designed you to live: Wanting to be like others (envy), and wanting to be liked by others (people-pleasing.) These traps are subtle, but they distract and detour millions of people from the purposes they were created to fulfill.”
―
Rick Warren
“Cultural lies conform us, but eternal truths transform us.”
―
Rick Warren
“We bring God glory by loving other believers.”
―
Rick Warren
“La obediencia libera el poder de Dios. Dios espera que actúes primero. No esperes hasta que te sientas poderoso o seguro. Sigue adelante pese a tu debilidad, haciendo lo correcto a pesar de tus temores y sentimientos. Así es como cooperas con el Espíritu Santo, y es como se desarrolla tu carácter. La Biblia compara el crecimiento espiritual con una semilla, un edificio o un niño en crecimiento. Cada metáfora requiere una participación activa: las semillas deben ser plantadas y cultivadas, los edificios deben ser construidos —no surgen de la nada— y los niños deben comer y hacer ejercicio para crecer. Aunque el esfuerzo no tiene nada que ver con nuestra salvación, tiene mucho que ver con nuestro crecimiento espiritual. Por lo menos ocho veces en el Nuevo Testamento se nos dice que «hagamos todo esfuerzo»17 en nuestro crecimiento para llegar a ser como Jesús. Uno no se sienta simplemente a esperar que suceda.”
―
Rick Warren
“Jesus specialized in menial tasks that everyone else tried to avoid: washing feet, helping children, fixing breakfast, and serving lepers. Nothing was beneath him, because he came to serve. It wasn’t in spite of his greatness that he did these things, but because of it, and he expects us to follow his example.”
―
Rick Warren
“Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. EPHESIANS 5:10 THE MESSAGE”
―
Rick Warren
“The most difficult area to surrender for many people is their money.”
―
Rick Warren
“If God never did anything else for you, he would still deserve your continual praise for the rest of your life because of what Jesus did for you on the cross. God’s Son died for you! This is the greatest reason for worship.”
―
Rick Warren
“Servants think like stewards, not owners.”
―
Rick Warren
“When God puts his Spirit inside you, your body becomes a temple of God, a residence for his love. So let me ask you this: If you saw someone vandalizing or damaging a temple dedicated to God, wouldn’t you consider that a crime? Of course! But you abuse and vandalize God’s temple, your body, when you deprive it of rest and sleep, overeat, put too much stress on it, and fail to take care of it.”
―
Rick Warren
