In the secret of my heart I am in perpetual quarrel with God that He should allow such things [as the war] to go on. My non-violence seems almost impotent. But the answer comes at the end of the daily quarrel that neither God nor non-violence is impotent. Impotence is in men. I must try on without losing faith even though I may break in the attempt.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Gandhi questions God about suffering but concludes power lies in human action, not divine or nonviolent force alone.
- In plain terms
- I argue with God about evil, but I must keep trying without losing faith.
- What can you take from it?
- Keep acting despite doubt; weakness is human, not divine.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you act when your methods seem ineffective?
- What sustains you when your struggle fails?
Another view
It places heavy burden on individuals to solve systemic evil.
More from Mahatma Gandhi
In the dictionary of Satyagraha, there is no enemy.
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Permalink to quote #184 In the code of the Satyagrahi, there is no such thing as surrender to brute force.
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