Henri J.M. Nouwen Quote
Confronted here with the impossibility of self-redemption, I now understand Jesus’ words to Nicodemus: Do not be surprised when I say: ‘You must be born from above.’ Indeed, something has to happen that I myself cannot cause to happen. I cannot be reborn from below; that is, with my own strength, with my own mind, with my own psychological insights. There is no doubt in my mind about this because I have tried so hard in the past to heal myself from my complaints and failed … and failed … and failed, until I came to the edge of complete emotional collapse and even physical exhaustion. I can only be healed from above, from where God reaches down. What is impossible for me is possible for God. With God, everything is possible.
Confronted here with the impossibility of self-redemption, I now understand Jesus’ words to Nicodemus: Do not be surprised when I say: ‘You must be born from above.’ Indeed, something has to happen that I myself cannot cause to happen. I cannot be reborn from below; that is, with my own strength, with my own mind, with my own psychological insights. There is no doubt in my mind about this because I have tried so hard in the past to heal myself from my complaints and failed … and failed … and failed, until I came to the edge of complete emotional collapse and even physical exhaustion. I can only be healed from above, from where God reaches down. What is impossible for me is possible for God. With God, everything is possible.