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Dropping Your Guard
Charles Swindoll unveils a biblical blueprint for rich relationships in this life-changing classic. In this updated version of his best-selling book, Swindoll poignantly and honestly portrays the need for authentic love and transparency.
197 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
About the author
Charles R. Swindoll
974 books865 followersCharles Swindoll has devoted over four decades to two passions: an unwavering commitment to the practical communication and application of God's Word, and an untiring devotion to seeing lives transformed by God's grace. Chuck graduated magna cum laude from Dallas Theological Seminary and has since been honored with four doctorates. For his teaching on Insight for Living, he has received the Program of the Year award and the Hall of Fame award from the National Religious Broadcasters as well as multiple book awards.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 16, 2009
I was encouraged by his comments on the idea of Hope. His books are consistently based on the Scriptures which I appreciate. However, they seem quite simple and unchallenging, but who can always apply even one principle from Scripture?
Poignant Quotes:
…I share life’s experiences with others that I can enjoy them or endure them to the greatest advantage.
While I understand the spies’ feeling intimidated, I cannot excuse their forgetting God’s unconditional promise. Furthermore, no giant is any match for God. When God stands, everybody is smaller. When God promises, nobody dares to question it.
There must be an admission of need for others.
There must be the cultivation of deeper relationships.
There must be a firm commitment to assimilation.
John Donne – “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Not until we begin to see the value of each member of the Body (rather than just a few of the more prominent people) will we enter into this full dimension of family life.
Close relationships aren’t automatic. They are the direct result of time, energy, and cultivation.
Winston Churchill – “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”
How many congregations have you ever been a part of who regularly encouraged their pastor?
Theodore Epp – “Once a man is satisfied that he is in the center of God’s plan and God is working out His will through him, that man is invincible.”
We should not be surprised or offended, therefore, when others, today, remove themselves from involvement due to pain. On the contrary, a sensitive understanding heart of compassion is our best response. However, when we reach out to them it must be with utmost tact and sensitivity.
Burned out and fatigued, the prophet was finished and famished. His vision of the big picture was blurred and his motivation for ministry had vanished. It is beautiful to study how graciously God dealt with His man. No guilt trip. No long sermon. Not even a frown or a threat. With divine compassion he allowed the prophet time to repair, and He gave him space to recover. He even catered a meal for the exhausted prophet to enjoy. All of us could learn much from God’s therapy.
How unusual we are! If we have trouble with our car, we don’t give up driving. If we have roof that leaks, we don’t abandon the house and move to another place. But the irony of it all is that when a couple of folks have a conflict, only rarely are they big enough to stay at it and work things out. More often, they walk away and live lives of quiet desperation. If antiques are worth the time and energy and expense involved in restoring, so are broken relationships.
Most fellowship breakdowns that are the result of open disobedience against God will not heal themselves. GET INVOLVED.
The longer the breakdown, the greater the impact. START TODAY
Solutions will be initially painful but ultimately rewarding. DON’T QUIT.
David Smith – “Rarely do men plan a meeting together simply because they have a need to enjoy each other’s company.”
I don’t believe hate is the opposite of love. Apathy is.
I accept you as you are, I believe you are valuable, I care when you hurt, I desire only what is best for you, I erase all offenses.
And, even though we deserve a swift kick in the pants, who will embrace us with understanding and give us time to heal without quoting verses?
Christianity may be like a mighty army, but we often handle our troops in a weird way. We’re the only outfit I’ve ever heard of who shoots their wounded.
Unguarded, open relationships within the body of Christ are just as important as the nourishing, accurate dispensing of scriptural truth. We need both.
Accountability is rare because there are certain qualities:
Vulnerability – capable of being wounded, open, and unguarded. Nondefensive
Teachability – anxious to learn. Humble, quick to hear, willing to change, inviting advice.
Honesty – committed to truth. Hating anything phony, counterfeit, or false. Models sincerity.
Availability – touchable, accessible. Can be interrupted. Willing to meet on a regular basis.
Those who choose to be accountable have the greatest hope of change.
What the heart is to the physical body, what morale is to the unit of fighting men, what spirit is to a ball team, hope is to the church.
Hope is the prince and power of motivation.
If hope leaves the heart of the leader, it isn’t long before the entire congregation follows suit. Naturally, they need is initial words of counsel.
For flocks to flourish they need acceptance, freedom, love, lots of reinforcement, regular nourishment, room to fail, an atmosphere of expectation, and true enthusiasm.
Uptight, intense, superdefensive, easily threatened leaders do not spawn congregations of close, caring, relaxed, accepting, completely human, and believable relationships.
The style and “flavor” of a church come from those in leadership. As is always true, right leadership results in maximum benefits.
The worried church doesn’t risk. It reacts. Instead of staying on the cutting edge, it retreats and adopts a fight-back mentality. It spends less time dreaming and more time defending. An anxious congregation is more aware of what’s wrong in the world than what’s right with the Lord.
It’s not a matter of will they suffer, but how much more can they endure?
Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain forever a barrier to the growth and development of our spirit.
Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually…As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually welcome problems and actually to welcome the pain of problems.
Poignant Quotes:
…I share life’s experiences with others that I can enjoy them or endure them to the greatest advantage.
While I understand the spies’ feeling intimidated, I cannot excuse their forgetting God’s unconditional promise. Furthermore, no giant is any match for God. When God stands, everybody is smaller. When God promises, nobody dares to question it.
There must be an admission of need for others.
There must be the cultivation of deeper relationships.
There must be a firm commitment to assimilation.
John Donne – “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Not until we begin to see the value of each member of the Body (rather than just a few of the more prominent people) will we enter into this full dimension of family life.
Close relationships aren’t automatic. They are the direct result of time, energy, and cultivation.
Winston Churchill – “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”
How many congregations have you ever been a part of who regularly encouraged their pastor?
Theodore Epp – “Once a man is satisfied that he is in the center of God’s plan and God is working out His will through him, that man is invincible.”
We should not be surprised or offended, therefore, when others, today, remove themselves from involvement due to pain. On the contrary, a sensitive understanding heart of compassion is our best response. However, when we reach out to them it must be with utmost tact and sensitivity.
Burned out and fatigued, the prophet was finished and famished. His vision of the big picture was blurred and his motivation for ministry had vanished. It is beautiful to study how graciously God dealt with His man. No guilt trip. No long sermon. Not even a frown or a threat. With divine compassion he allowed the prophet time to repair, and He gave him space to recover. He even catered a meal for the exhausted prophet to enjoy. All of us could learn much from God’s therapy.
How unusual we are! If we have trouble with our car, we don’t give up driving. If we have roof that leaks, we don’t abandon the house and move to another place. But the irony of it all is that when a couple of folks have a conflict, only rarely are they big enough to stay at it and work things out. More often, they walk away and live lives of quiet desperation. If antiques are worth the time and energy and expense involved in restoring, so are broken relationships.
Most fellowship breakdowns that are the result of open disobedience against God will not heal themselves. GET INVOLVED.
The longer the breakdown, the greater the impact. START TODAY
Solutions will be initially painful but ultimately rewarding. DON’T QUIT.
David Smith – “Rarely do men plan a meeting together simply because they have a need to enjoy each other’s company.”
I don’t believe hate is the opposite of love. Apathy is.
I accept you as you are, I believe you are valuable, I care when you hurt, I desire only what is best for you, I erase all offenses.
And, even though we deserve a swift kick in the pants, who will embrace us with understanding and give us time to heal without quoting verses?
Christianity may be like a mighty army, but we often handle our troops in a weird way. We’re the only outfit I’ve ever heard of who shoots their wounded.
Unguarded, open relationships within the body of Christ are just as important as the nourishing, accurate dispensing of scriptural truth. We need both.
Accountability is rare because there are certain qualities:
Vulnerability – capable of being wounded, open, and unguarded. Nondefensive
Teachability – anxious to learn. Humble, quick to hear, willing to change, inviting advice.
Honesty – committed to truth. Hating anything phony, counterfeit, or false. Models sincerity.
Availability – touchable, accessible. Can be interrupted. Willing to meet on a regular basis.
Those who choose to be accountable have the greatest hope of change.
What the heart is to the physical body, what morale is to the unit of fighting men, what spirit is to a ball team, hope is to the church.
Hope is the prince and power of motivation.
If hope leaves the heart of the leader, it isn’t long before the entire congregation follows suit. Naturally, they need is initial words of counsel.
For flocks to flourish they need acceptance, freedom, love, lots of reinforcement, regular nourishment, room to fail, an atmosphere of expectation, and true enthusiasm.
Uptight, intense, superdefensive, easily threatened leaders do not spawn congregations of close, caring, relaxed, accepting, completely human, and believable relationships.
The style and “flavor” of a church come from those in leadership. As is always true, right leadership results in maximum benefits.
The worried church doesn’t risk. It reacts. Instead of staying on the cutting edge, it retreats and adopts a fight-back mentality. It spends less time dreaming and more time defending. An anxious congregation is more aware of what’s wrong in the world than what’s right with the Lord.
It’s not a matter of will they suffer, but how much more can they endure?
Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain forever a barrier to the growth and development of our spirit.
Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually…As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually welcome problems and actually to welcome the pain of problems.
August 17, 2014
A book that is structured in a way where it outrightly tells you this is a persuasion pitch to drop your guard, which limits it's effectiveness because one would tend to shut it off if you are not open the idea in the first place, and also because it just means that only a one-sided view will be presented. What about in the event of getting hurt and how to deal with that? However, I recognize that this book was written so long ago and it's relevance may not be that great a match in today's social context. Still a decent book peppered with good quotes.
February 17, 2010
Another great Swindoll book. He talks about dropping any masks we have
and relating to each other openly and honestly. The book was filled
with suggestions for maintaining, repairing, and rebuilding relation-
ships. He has five statements for "Love never fails" --
I accept you as you are -
I believe you are valuable -
I care when you hurt -
I desire only what is best for you -
I erase all offenses.
and relating to each other openly and honestly. The book was filled
with suggestions for maintaining, repairing, and rebuilding relation-
ships. He has five statements for "Love never fails" --
I accept you as you are -
I believe you are valuable -
I care when you hurt -
I desire only what is best for you -
I erase all offenses.
August 19, 2016
An excellent read on being vulnerable and taking off masks. Accountability (discipleship) is one of the main points reviewed. I gave it 4 stars because it continued in the vein of institutional/clergy/laity mentality which is not God's model for the church.
Read
February 20, 2008never allow fear and doubt to take control of your life
February 13, 2009
Enjoying authentic freindships.
September 15, 2009
Another great book from Swindoll.
February 8, 2013
Outstanding book!
June 11, 2019
Excellent read on becoming the true person God wants you to be.
January 9, 2026
Not my favorite style, but quality concepts nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews