Quotes by Hannah Whitall Smith

“The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not and never persist in trying to set people right”

“Look upon your chastening as Gods chariots sent to carry your soul into the high places of spiritual achievement.”

“God stirs up our comfortable nests, and pushes us over the edge of them, and we are forced to use our wings to save ourselves from fatal falling. Read your trials in this light, and see if your wings are being developed.”

“The mother eagle teachers her little ones to fly by making their nest so uncomfortable that they are forced to leave it and commit themselves to the unknown world of air outside. An just so does our God to us.”

“Let me advise thee not to talk of thyself as being old. There is something in Mind Cure, after all, and if thee continually talks of thyself as being old, thee may perhaps bring on some of the infirmities of age. At least I would not risk it if I were thee.”

“A feeling of real need is always a good enough reason to pray.”

Most Christians are like a man who was toiling along the road, bending under a heavy burden, when a wagon overtook him. The driver kindly offered to help him on his journey. He joyfully accepted the offer but, when he was seated, continued to bend beneath his burden, which he still kept on his shoulders. Why do you not lay down your burden? asked the kind-hearted driver. Oh! replied the man, I feel that it is almost too much to ask you to carry me, and I could not think of letting you carry my burden too. And so Christian who have given themselves into the care and keeping of the Lord Jesus still continue to bend beneath the weight of their burdens and often go weary and heavy-laden throughout the whole length of their journey.

He who cares for the sparrows and numbers the hairs of our head, cannot possibly fail us.

Christ came into the world to save sinners, not good people, and your unworthiness is your greatest claim for His salvation.

Anything allowed in the heart which is contrary to the will of God, let it seem ever so insignificant, or be ever so deeply hidden, will cause us to fall before our enemies. Any root of bitterness cherished towards another, any self-seeking, any harsh judgments indulged in, any slackness in obeying the voice of the Lord, any doubtful habits or surroundings, any one of these things will effectually cripple and paralyze our spiritual life. I believe our blessed Guide, the indwelling Holy Spirit, is always secretly discovering these things to us by continual little twinges and pangs of conscience, so that we are left without excuse.

Holding onto what was isnt healthy for what is.

If our hearts are full of our own wretched I ams we will have no ears to hear His glorious, soul-satisfying I am. We say, Alas, I am such a poor week creature, or I am so foolish, or I am so good-for-nothing, or I am so helpless and we give these pitiful I ams of ours as the reason of the wretchedness and discomfort of our religious lives, and even feel that we are very much to be pitied that things are so hard for us. While all the time we entirely ignore the blank check of Gods magnificent I am, which authorizes us to draw upon Him for an abundant supply for every need.

The true secret of giving advice is after you have honestly given it to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not and never persist in trying to set people right.

Faith is nothing at all tangible. ... It is simply believing God and like sight it is nothing apart from its object. You might as well shut your eyes and look inside and see whether you have sight as to look inside to discover whether you have faith.