Francis de Sales Quotes

After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us toward is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again. For however important chastity (or courage, or truthfulness, or any other virtue) may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn, on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and, on the other, that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven.

When you face the perils of weariness, carelessness, and confusion, don't pray for an easier life. Pray instead to be a stronger man or woman of God.

The characteristics of an authentically empowered personality are humbleness, clarity, forgiveness and love.

Form your life humanly, and you have done enough: but you will never reach the height of art and the depth of science without something divine.

Happiness is a great power of holiness. Thus, kind words, by their power of producing happiness, have also a power of producing holiness, and so of winning men to God.

Humility and patience are the surest proofs of the increase of love.

Never stop working on your statue until the divine glory of virtue shines out on you, until you see self-mastery enthroned upon its holy seat.

Courage is the basic virtue for everyone so long as he continues to grow, to move ahead.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Prayer is not conquering God's reluctance, but taking hold of God's willingness.

We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are.

That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is.

I encourage you to be a person who is not afraid of responsibility. In meeting resistance you will build your strength. If you only do what is easy, you will always remain weak.

I kept on going and I overcame my fears and got over my insecurities.

Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues.

There is but one pursuit in life which it is in the power of all to follow, and of all to attain. It is subject to no disappointments, since he that perseveres, makes every difficulty an advancement, and every contest a victory; and this is the pursuit of virtue.

In joy or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or the reverse, the effort must still continue. One must rise after every fall and gradually acquire courage, faith, the will to succeed and the capacity to love.

The first spiritual quality we need to have is not faith; it is courage.

This is not a time for fear, brethren, but rather a time for faith - a time for each of us who holds the priesthood to be his best self.

Whatever brings you to your knees in weakness carries the greatest potential for your personal success and spiritual victory.

There is no greater valor nor no sterner fight. He who would be what he ought to be must stop being what he is.

Heaven is large, and affords space for all modes of love and fortitude.

Purity, patience and perseverance are the three essentials to success and above all love.

All good things require effort. That which is worth having will cost part of your physical being, your intellectual power, and your soul power—‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt. 7:7.) But you have to seek, you have to knock. On the other hand, sin thrusts itself upon you. It walks beside you, it tempts you, it entices, it allures. You do not have to put forth effort. … Evil seeks you, and it requires effort and fortitude to combat it. But truth and wisdom are gained only by seeking, by prayer, and by effort.

A man must rise by his own efforts and walk by faith.

Anybody who says that love is a hindrance on the path of self-realization is not a sage.