72 Quotes by Gary L. Thomas

You won’t hear a character’s friend say this in a romantic comedy. Taylor Swift won’t sing this, Eminem won’t rap it, and Suzanne Collins won’t write it, but it’s true: just because you’re “in love” with someone doesn’t mean you should seriously consider marrying them.

We are told to seek first the kingdom of God, not seek first marriage.

A heavyweight boxing champion who dodges all serious contenders to consistently fight marshmallows is derided and ridiculed – and rightly so. Christians who dodge all serious struggle and consciously seek to put themselves in whatever situations and relationships are easiest are doing the same thing – they are coasting, and eventually that coasting will define them and – even worse – shape them.

Finding fulfillment in God is the most powerful antidote to any sin.

I think marriage is designed to call us out of ourselves and learn to love the “different.

Families start to break down – and marriages often break down, for that matter – when we stop enjoying each other.

Our Lord has sovereignly ordained that our refining process take place as we go through difficulties, not around them. The Bible is filled with examples of those who overcame as they passed through the desert, the Red Sea, the fiery furnace and ultimately the cross. God doesn’t protect Christians from their problems – he helps them walk victoriously through their problems.”4.

I’ve learned that we must first create a space of time, quiet, and isolation before we can truly see God. Three elements are necessary for this. We need to first believe, then learn to perceive, and finally receive.

In this fallen world, struggles, sin, and unfaithfulness are a given. The only question is whether our response to these struggles, sin, and unfaithfulness will draw us closer to God – or whether it will estrange us from ourselves, our Creator, and each other.