There’s an undeniable charm in stumbling upon David Brainerd quotes online. It’s the kind of discovery that can bring a smile – not of mockery, certainly not, but one of understanding and empathy. Brainerd’s personal journals are deeply impactful. The Life and Diary of David Brainerd is a powerful read, so much so that it often compels readers to pause mid-sentence, not from disinterest, but to engage in earnest prayer, moved by the raw and honest expressions of his devotion to God. These were private thoughts, penned with no expectation of an audience, making them all the more genuine and convicting.
However, that smile when seeing his quotes online comes from a place of knowing the fuller picture. Brainerd’s journals, while profoundly inspiring, are also filled with contradictions. Like many, he experienced the peaks and valleys of life, spiritual highs and lows. Yet, the snippets we often see shared online rarely reflect this complex reality.
Consider this often-quoted line:
“O, I long to live to God!”
In the age of social media, a quote like this is gold. It conveys a powerful message of complete devotion, suggesting a life utterly consumed by the desire to serve the Lord. It’s inspiring, concise, and impactful.
But then, juxtapose it with the very next entry in his diary:
“I exceedingly long to die; and yet, through divine goodness, have felt very willing to live, for two or three days past.”
Suddenly, the first quote takes on a different hue, doesn’t it? Context is everything. At the time of these entries, Brainerd was battling not only the physical anguish of tuberculosis but also the heavy weight of deep depression.
This isn’t unique to Brainerd. Imagine if we had access to the unfiltered personal journals of other spiritual giants like Spurgeon, Moody, Judson, or Taylor. It’s highly likely we’d find similar complexities. We tend to encounter carefully crafted statements, assuming they encapsulate the entirety of a person’s spiritual journey. But the truth is, their lives, much like our own, are intricate narratives, not just a collection of quotable soundbites.
The same principle applies to contemporary leaders. We read their books, scroll through their social media, and might easily assume their lives are a seamless ascent of continuous spiritual progress, fervor, and grace.
Consequently, when we compare our own journeys to these curated snapshots, our growth can seem lackluster, even futile. We might even question God’s active presence in our lives. But this perspective is fundamentally flawed.
So, how should we navigate these inspiring, yet potentially misleading, glimpses into the lives of others?
Learning from Spiritual Leaders Without Misleading Comparisons
The crucial point is to learn from these spiritual exemplars, but resist the urge to compare yourself to them. In fact, the act of comparison itself is often detrimental, regardless of who we’re measuring ourselves against.
For we dare not class or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. — 2 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)
Comparison often breeds either pride or discouragement, and for good reason. Firstly, we rarely have the full context. We’re seeing a curated highlight reel, unsure if it represents their peak, their valley, or just a carefully selected ordinary moment. Secondly, we lack a comprehensive perspective on our own lives. We fail to see the subtle ways God is already working, cultivating the very graces we admire in others, within us.
Appreciate and draw inspiration from the powerful statements and insightful expressions of truth from others. Let them challenge and encourage you. But don’t allow their victories to become yardsticks of your perceived failures. Use them as “signposts of encouragement,” as guideposts on your own unique path, rather than “measurements of defeat.”
Your Life is a Story, Not a Quote: Embrace the Narrative
Part of the enduring appeal of Brainerd’s example is the very rawness of his journals. We have access to his “other” days, the struggles alongside the triumphs. But it’s reasonable to believe that behind every inspiring quote we cherish, there’s a wider context, a life filled with moments that are less easily distilled into a tweetable phrase.
The profound sentiments Brainerd expressed, the ones that resonate deeply with us, were genuine reflections of his heart in those moments. And so were the expressions of doubt, struggle, and longing for release. Both are part of the tapestry of his life.
The danger arises when we compare our entire, complex life narrative to a single, isolated moment in someone else’s. It’s comparing a feature-length film to a movie trailer.
God is actively writing your life as a story, a rich and unfolding narrative. Don’t be disheartened by the individual scenes that might seem less impressive when viewed in isolation.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! — Psalm 143:10 (ESV)
And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. — Isaiah 42:16 (ESV)
Trust God’s Perspective and Receive Grace Moment by Moment
God’s grace is available to us in every moment, yet His vision encompasses the entirety of the story He is writing in our lives.
This understanding necessitates a dual approach: trusting in God’s overarching perspective while simultaneously receiving His grace in the present moment.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” — James 4:6 (ESV)
Therefore, place your trust in Him. Trust that He is actively working in your life, shaping you into the image of His Son (Romans 8:28–29). Trust that He will bring to completion the good work He has initiated in you (Philippians 1:6).
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. — Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)
Embrace Lifelong Learning and Growth
Many, especially when young in their faith, might read biographies of spiritual heroes like Jim Elliot and assume that spiritual maturity is rapidly attainable. Need more faith? Just decide to have more faith!
But spiritual growth isn’t instantaneous. And God’s work in our lives unfolds over time, at His pace. He cultivates His fruit in us gradually.
Even as we are called to learn from the exemplary figures of faith in Scripture and throughout history, we are also reminded that their journeys, with their own “ups and downs,” should inspire patience and offer comfort in our own.
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. — Romans 15:4 (ESV)
Let the victories and insights of others serve as encouragements to your faith. Learn from their quotes, be challenged by their lives, but above all, continue to allow God to write your unique and unfolding story. Don’t just Compare Quote to quote; seek to understand the full narrative of grace, both in their lives and in your own.
