Inspirational Quotes, Post-Modernism and The Bible

Bring on those famous quotes!

We all love them.

When you read a quote which resonates with you at that moment, you feel a deep soul connection to the author. Hope touches your heart and whispers, ‘You’re okay, just as you are’ and ‘You’re not alone.’

The quote inspires and motivates you to triumph over tragedy, take the next step, change your lifestyle, hang in there a little longer, or work harder.

But you realise that the author’s life was not all a bed of roses, because such insight could only be born out of difficulties and pain like yours.

Some quotes are similar, but present another angle of the same scene or topic. The words are better related to your day and age.

You may be amazed that the quote was coined many years ago. You may think, ‘Where have I heard that before?’ And you would be right as some quotes correspond to verses from the great book of wisdom, The Bible.

Here follow 70 of the author’s inspirational quotes; see if you can find one or more of your favourite phrases:

Leadership

1. “When we help ourselves, we find moments of happiness. When we help others, we find lasting fulfilment.” Simon Sinek

2. “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” Bill Gates.

3. “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” John C Maxwell. “What’s dangerous is not to evolve.” Jeff Bezos.

4. “Become the kind of leader who people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position.” Brian Tracy.

5. “Servant leadership is more than a concept — it is a fact. Any great leader, by which I also mean an ethical leader of any group, will see herself or himself as a servant of that group and will act accordingly.” M Scott Peck.

6. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Spiderman.

7. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant…Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.“ The Bible. Mt. 20:26, 27.

Perseverance

1. “Never, never give up. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Winston Churchill.

2. “I failed my way to success. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to always try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison.

3. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Nelson Mandela.

4. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein.

5. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:9.

6. “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Heb. 10:35,36.

Success

1. “Success is knowing your purpose in life; growing to reach your maximum potential; and sowing seeds that benefit others.” John C. Maxwell.

2. “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two surest stepping stones to success.” Dale Carnegie.

3. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vidal Sassoon.

4. “Done is better than perfect.” Sheryl Sandberg.

5. “No matter how few possessions you own or how little money you have, loving wildlife and nature will make you rich beyond measure.” Paul Oxton.

6. “Be strong and very courageous … Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” The Bible Jos 1:7, 8.

Challenges

1. “The cave that you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” Joseph Campbell.

2. “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” Brian Tracy.

3. “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” Robert Kiyosaki.

4. “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” Susan Jeffers.

5. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” C.S. Lewis.

6. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S Lewis.

7. “You become what you believe.” Oprah Winfrey.

8. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6, 7.

9. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Tim. 1:7 (NLT)

Love

1. “If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love.” Princess Diana.

2. “Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.” Kahlil Gibran.

3. “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving (you a) happier (person).” Mother Theresa.

4. “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” Hellen Keller.

5. “Where there is love, there is life.” Mahatma Gandi.

6. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” The Bible 1Co. 13:4.

7. “What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Ro 8:31,37–39.

Gratitude

1. “Be thankful for what you have and you will end up having more. But if you concentrate on what you don’t have, you’ll never ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey.

2. “It’s not happiness that makes us grateful. It’s gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.” Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.

3. “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.” Vivian Greene.

4. “Gratitude bestows reference allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” John Milton.

5. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” The Bible Phil 4:4.

6. “Give thanks in all circumstances.” 1Th. 5:18.

Mindset (Attitude)

1. “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” Oprah Winfrey.

2. “The mind is its own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” John Milton.

3. “Wherever you are in the world, whatever is going on…you’re only as happy as you are in your head.” Karl Moore.

4. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Between stimulus and response, you have the ability to choose.” Viktor E Frankl.

5. “Think about what you are thinking about. The beginning of freedom is the realization that you’re not ‘the thinker.’ The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of consciousness becomes activated…You begin to awaken.” Eckhart Tolle.

6. “The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” Marcus Aurelius.

7. “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” Napoleon Hill.

8. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Napoleon Hill.

9. “The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” John C. Maxwell.

10. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” Phil. 4:8.

11. “Your hearts and minds must be made completely new.” Eph.4:23 (GNT).

12. “And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.” Neh.8:10b (AMPC).

Forgiveness

1. “Unforgiveness is the heaviest baggage we drag along. As long as you can’t forgive someone, you remain that person’s prisoner. Forgiveness breaks that chain and sets you free.” Kobus Neethling.

2. “How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?” W. Shakespeare (Merchant of Venice).

3. “Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness; those are life altering lessons.” Jessica Lang.

4. “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” Mark Twain.

5. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col 3:13.

6. “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Peter) Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Mt.18:21, 22.

Education

1. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela.

2. “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” Chinese Proverb.

3. “Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.” Albert Einstein.

4. “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Unknown (apparently not Einstein).

5. “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau.

6. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.: Phil. 4:13

On a Light-hearted Note

1. “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Dale Carnegie.

2. “The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes.” Winston Churchill.

3. “My needs are simple. I am easily satisfied with the very best.” Winston Churchill.

4. “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

Winston Churchill.

5. “Carpe diem!” (Pluck the day). Horatio.

Your life is like negotiating a sailboat on the vast expanse of the ocean.

Sometimes you’re ecstatically riding the crest of the wave in perfect sunshine. Then it’s all plain sailing.

Sometimes you’re at the trough of a huge wave and buffeting the sea.

Sometimes the storm washes right over you and you come up spluttering.

But you got this!

The waves are all part of life’s auspicious journey. So, hang tough and hold onto your favourite quotes.

Above all, hold onto the Lord and His Word.

(Scripture is from the Holy Bible NIV, Bible Society Inc, 2007 unless otherwise indicated.)