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Thomas a Kempis Quotes

All Quotes Acceptance Adversity Affection Anxiety Art Balance Being Thankful Charity Christ Confidence Conscience Death Desire Discipline Diversity Duty Earth Evil Failing Faith Feelings Fighting Giving Glory God Grace Grief Happiness Heart Heaven Helping Others Honor Humility Inspirational Jesus Joy Judging Judgment Justice Labor Liberty Life Love Morning Obedience Overcoming Pain Passion Peace Perfection Praise Prayer Purity Purpose Salvation Silence Simplicity Sin Sleep Sorrow Soul Study Suffering Temptation Understanding Victory Virtue Weakness
If you want to learn something that will really help you, learn to see yourself as God sees you and not as you see yourself in the distorted mirror of your own self-importance.

If you want to learn something that will really help you, learn to see yourself as God sees you and not as you see yourself in the distorted mirror of your own self-importance.

Thomas a Kempis
Mirrors, Self, Want

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 a Kempis
Life, Relationship, Teacher
"The Imitation of Christ. Book I, ch. 16". Book by Thomas a Kempis, 1418.

When anger enters the mind, wisdom departs.

Thomas a Kempis
Inspirational Life, Mind

Patience is necessary in this life because so much of life is fraught with adversity. No matter how hard we try, our lives will never be without strife and grief. Thus, we should not strive for a peace that is without temptation, or for a life that never feels adversity. Peace is not found by escaping temptations, but by being tried by them. We will have discovered peace when we have been tried and come through the trial of temptation.

Thomas a Kempis
Peace, Grief, Adversity

Jesus has many who love the kingdom of God, but few who bear a cross. He has many who desire His comfort, but few who desire His suffering. All want to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for Him. He writes; there are many who admire his miracles, but there are few who follow in the humiliation of the cross.

Thomas a Kempis
Jesus, Writing, Miracle

Man sees your actions, but God your motives.

Thomas a Kempis
Men, Action, Motive

To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love.

Thomas a Kempis
Inspirational, Life, Motivational
"Seeds of Contemplation". Book by Thomas Merton, 1949.

In the Cross is salvation; in the Cross is life; in the Cross is protection against our enemies; in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness; in the Cross is strength of mind; in the Cross is joy of spirit; in the Cross is excellence of virtue; in the Cross is perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of soul, nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross.

Thomas a Kempis
Jesus, Perfection, Joy

Habit is overcome by habit.

Thomas a Kempis
Overcoming, Habit
Thomas a Kempis, Aeterna Press (1941*). “The Following of Christ”, p.78, Aeterna Press

For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey; while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step.

Thomas a Kempis
Christian, Journey, Men

It is better to have but little knowledge with humility and understanding, than great learning which might make you proud. For a person's merits are not to be estimated by having many visions, or by knowledge of the bible, or by being placed in a higher position; but by being grounded in true humility, and by seeking always, purely, and entirely, the honor of God.

Thomas a Kempis
Humility, Understanding, Honor

If we live in peace ourselves, we in turn may bring peace to others. A peaceable man does more good than a learned one.

Thomas a Kempis
Wisdom, Peace, Men

At the day of judgment we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.

Thomas a Kempis
Liberty, Done, Libertarian
Thomas (à Kempis), Thomas A. Kempis, Aloysius Croft, Harold Bolton (2003). “The Imitation of Christ”, p.4, Courier Corporation

Don't think so much about who is for or against you, rather give all your care, that God be with you in everything you do.

Thomas a Kempis
God, Thinking, Giving

Intelligence must follow faith, never precede it, and never destroy it.

Thomas a Kempis
Thinking, Intelligence

The Lord has many lovers of His crown but few lovers of His Cross.

Thomas a Kempis
Crowns, Lovers, Lord

What difference does it make to you what someone else becomes, or says, or does? You do not need to answer for others, only for yourself.

Thomas a Kempis
Differences, Doe, Needs

Carry the cross patiently, and with perfect submission; and in the end it shall carry you.

Thomas a Kempis
Perfect, Patient, Submission

Love flies, runs, leaps for joy; it is free and unrestrained. Love gives all for all, resting in One who is highest above all things, from whom every good flows and proceeds. Love does not regard the gifts, but turns to the Giver of all good gifts. Love knows no limits, but ardently transcends all bounds. Love feels no burden, takes no account of toil, attempts things beyond its strength; love sees nothing as impossible, for it feels able to achieve all things. Love therefore does great things; it is strange and effective; while he who lacks love faints and fails.

Thomas a Kempis
Running, Giving, Joy

Remember always your end, and that lost time does not return.

Thomas a Kempis
Doe, Return, Remember

It is vanity to desire a long life and to take no heed of a good life.

Thomas a Kempis
Life, Vanity, Long
Thomas a Kempis (1913). “The Imitation of Christ”

Be Yourself -The man who is neither bent upon pleasing his fellows nor afraid of offending them will enjoy great peace.

Thomas a Kempis
Being Yourself, Men, Offending

Always keep a good distance between yourself and lying, quarreling, detracting, insulting and gossip. The person who can do that will some day learn to enjoy the silence.

Thomas a Kempis
Distance, Lying, Gossip

A book has but one voice, but it does not instruct everyone alike.

Thomas a Kempis
Book, Voice, Doe

Always be ready; always live in such a way that death can never find you unprepared.

Thomas a Kempis
Way, Ready, Unprepared

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