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As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for…

“As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for anything for yourself. You ought to pray only for strength to bear whatever the Lord saw fit to send you, she thought. I was never able to follow this advice, for although I would often feel a sense of uneasiness over the tone of my…” quote by Margaret Laurence
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““As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for anything for yourself. You ought to pray only for strength to bear whatever the Lord saw fit to send you, she thought. I was never able to follow this advice, for although I would often feel a sense of uneasiness over the tone of my prayers, I was the kind of person who prayed frantically-"Please, God, please, please, PLEASE let Ross MacVey like me better than Mavis.””

Margaret Laurence

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She believes prayers should be self‑less, yet struggles with personal desire, highlighting tension between religious doctrine and human longing.

In simple terms: Prayer should be selfless, but desire persists.

Key Takeaway

Balance selfless faith with personal needs.

Themes

faith inner conflict desire

Mood

reflective conflicted

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal crises
  • spiritual counseling
  • relationship issues

Key Concepts

religious doctrine personal longing prayer practice

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can one pray selflessly and still ask for personal help?
  • What does this reveal about faith and desire?
A Different Perspective

Self‑less prayer may ignore genuine personal needs.

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