Ten Quotes from “A Small Book About Why We Hide”
If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a while then you know I have a difficult time writing book reviews, since a well-written one takes so much time for me. Instead, I find it personally beneficial and, I hope, encouraging to you, to follow up my finishing a book with a post including some of the “impacting sentences” that I highlighted. Typing them out for you helps to reinforce them for me. So, here are ten quotes from Ed Welch’s devotional, “A Small Book About Why We Hide.”
“You can be sure of this: If God draws near to the shamed and outcast, he will meet you in the insecurities of daily life.” (p. 10)
“A growing security in God can bring more boldness to your relationships. When someone is rightly disappointed with you, go toward them, not away.” (p. 23)
“Feelings matter. It is important to know how we feel because feelings reveal what is most important to us. They reveal what we love.” (p. 29)
“The entire Bible is about God’s rescue mission so that we might be close to him, as he always intended us to be. The problem is not that he is distant. They problem is that we do not always listen to him, which means we turn away. We could rightly be accused of distancing ourselves from him. He cannot be accused of such things.” (p. 30)
“When you are transparent with the Lord, you will be less terrified to be seen by other people. This is how life works. And this means that we must consider our sin. That is the most obvious reason we hide from God… If you are unconcerned about sin, it means you are indifferent to God.” (p. 34)
“When God looms larger than the strength of other people, life is simplified. He controls us, our mission and purpose come into view, and hope settles in as we know his kingdom is unshakeable.” (p 40)
“Human love was never intended to be our living water. Instead, it can be an addictive drug that is never enough. True freedom comes when you love God more than all else.” (p. 50)
“Confession might seem counterproductive to the self-loathing you experience, but remember that self-loathing and self-centeredness often live happily together in our hearts.” (p. 58)
“When you have something to hide, you feel like you do not belong. If other people really knew you, they would recognize you as a fraud. In response, the Lord invites you to come closer. As in all our relationships, confession of sin is a means of mending a torn relationship. Confession brings closeness.” (p. 62)
“Is there anything better than a simple meal with those who love and accept you? This is Jesus’s invitation to you. If you refuse the invitation, it must be because you think you are either too good or too bad. If too good, you think you have better offers. If too bad, you think he is actually reluctant to invite you. The truth is, he wants you to come.” (pp. 227-228)
“A Small Book About Why We Hide” is published by New Growth Press.
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