--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back…" description: "\"“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to me to change things. It’s tim..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/aaron-hartzler-22321_change-things_i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-v_15820.jpg" --- # I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I… ![“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to me to change things. It’s time to start saving myself.” quote by Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/aaron-hartzler-22321_change-things_i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-v_15820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/aaron-hartzler-22321_change-things_i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-v_15820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/aaron-hartzler-22321_change-things_i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-v_15820.jpg) > ““I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to me to change things. It’s time to start saving myself.”” [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects passive reliance on divine rescue, asserting personal responsibility for change and self‑salvation. **In simple terms:** Self‑reliance over waiting for miracles. Key Takeaway Take charge of your own destiny. Themes self‑empowerment personal responsibility spiritual autonomy hope change agency Mood determined reflective hopeful Type motivational philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - facing a personal crisis - after a period of disappointment - when feeling stuck in a situation - in a moment of existential doubt Key Concepts agency faith self‑help Practical Applications - coaching or therapy to foster self‑efficacy - writing personal development plans Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today to alter your circumstances? - How does relying on external rescue affect your sense of agency? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-things/) [Hoping Rescued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hoping-rescued-381601/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rescued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rescued/) [Rescued Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rescued-life-270863/) [Saving Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-myself/) [Saying Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-jesus-381602/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [The novel is rescued life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hortense-calisher/the-novel-is-rescued-life/) [Hortense Calisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hortense-calisher/) > [I'm always a bit suspicious of the sort of person who argues by saying 'What would Jesus have said?' They usually mean that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/i-m-always-a-bit-suspicious-of-the-sort-of-person-who-argues-by/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [“Thus, John is saying that Jesus did His miracles not for their own sake but to point the observer and the reader beyond them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/thus-john-is-saying-that-jesus-did-his-miracles-not-for-their-own/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“A silver cross pendant hangs from his neck, like he’s saying Jesus endorses what he did. We must believe in a different Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/a-silver-cross-pendant-hangs-from-his-neck-like-he-s-saying-jesus/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I am still saving myself from the last time you came knocking at my door. I shattered my wrists to catch myself from falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-still-saving-myself-from-the-last-time-you-came-knocking-at-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She was using the water as she had used the fruit earlier—to calm herself, to assure herself of the possibility of normality. Yet all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/she-was-using-the-water-as-she-had-used-the-fruit-earlier-to-calm/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [For me it was just, No, I'm saving myself. I have to make myself worthy of the kind of man I have in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kudrow/for-me-it-was-just-no-i-m-saving-myself-i-have-to-make-myself-worthy/) [Lisa Kudrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kudrow/) > [We sped on, across the plains, toward Metz. I hung back, saving myself. It is called the Race of Truth. The early stages separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/we-sped-on-across-the-plains-toward-metz-i-hung-back-saving-myself-it/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [“I resolutely ignored my parents’ questions about what I would do once I had that important piece of paper certifying my three years as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-field/i-resolutely-ignored-my-parents-questions-about-what-i-would-do-once/) [Elle Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-field/) > [Kill me now, because I'm done saving myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/kill-me-now-because-i-m-done-saving-myself/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-i-need-first-of-all-is-not-exhortation-but-a-gospel-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Hey, it’s not like I was saving myself for the day you had a body again, so don’t get excited.” “Too late.” He curved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-smith-ready/hey-it-s-not-like-i-was-saving-myself-for-the-day-you-had-a-body/) [Jeri Smith-Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-smith-ready/) > [“Micah: “Come, on. Let’s get you out of here.” He began putting his arms under me and lifted me off my bed of rocks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terra-harmony/micah-come-on-let-s-get-you-out-of-here-he-began-putting-his-arms/) [Terra Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terra-harmony/) > [“Fuck yr heroes, I'm saving myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/fuck-yr-heroes-i-m-saving-myself/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) ## More by Aaron Hartzler > [“Will God allow me to be killed in a freak accident if I keep lying to my parents about music and movies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/will-god-allow-me-to-be-killed-in-a-freak-accident-if-i-keep-lying-to/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“Dad knew this was the one thing he could do that would hurt me the most. He thinks this pain will somehow bring us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/dad-knew-this-was-the-one-thing-he-could-do-that-would-hurt-me-the/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“Eventually, I realized that social justice, kindness, and honesty didn’t have to come from the theology in which I’d been raised. In fact, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/eventually-i-realized-that-social-justice-kindness-and-honesty-didn-t/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“The college allows students of different races to date now, but the place is permeated with an air of cheerful fascism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/the-college-allows-students-of-different-races-to-date-now-but-the/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“In a flash, the version of myself so carefully constructed for Mom’s and Dad’s eyes crumbles all around me. I have let them see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/in-a-flash-the-version-of-myself-so-carefully-constructed-for-mom-s/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“The air between Jason and me feels electric. I am sitting on a log at a campfire in the middle of the woods, next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/the-air-between-jason-and-me-feels-electric-i-am-sitting-on-a-log-at/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“We try to hold on to the things we think will keep us safe and maintain that place we can point to an say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/we-try-to-hold-on-to-the-things-we-think-will-keep-us-safe-and/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“Aaron, I love you so much, and I know how much this means to you. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/aaron-i-love-you-so-much-and-i-know-how-much-this-means-to-you-jesus/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“I might’ve been able to fool other people into thinking I believed, but the God I was raised with knew my every thought, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/i-might-ve-been-able-to-fool-other-people-into-thinking-i-believed/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“A pervasive misconception about sexual orientation doggedly clings to the conversation about being LGBT in our current culture: that one’s sexual orientation is defined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/a-pervasive-misconception-about-sexual-orientation-doggedly-clings-to/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“I feel like I belong, sitting here next to Papa. This is what men do together—watch wrestling and make things from string.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/i-feel-like-i-belong-sitting-here-next-to-papa-this-is-what-men-do/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“Praying in restaurants is all about other people seeing us do it. It’s our faith on offense. One more way we can prove we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/praying-in-restaurants-is-all-about-other-people-seeing-us-do-it-it-s/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“It seems like other people love Jesus in lots of different ways and have different rules about what’s right and what’s wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/it-seems-like-other-people-love-jesus-in-lots-of-different-ways-and/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“Nothing is exactly as it appears. The closer you look, the more you see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/nothing-is-exactly-as-it-appears-the-closer-you-look-the-more-you-see/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [“After all the tears and frustration and hurt, there’s something inside me that remains unbroken. It’s strong and whole; it’s the place where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/after-all-the-tears-and-frustration-and-hurt-there-s-something-inside/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) [Explore all 27 Aaron Hartzler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) ## More Change things quotes > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [What really distinguishes this generation in all countries from earlier generations ... is its determination to act, its joy in action, the assurance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-really-distinguishes-this-generation-in-all-countries-from/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“Gandhi is best remembered for his adherence to the principle of nonviolence; but no less important was his adherence to non-demonization. Even when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-truett-anderson/gandhi-is-best-remembered-for-his-adherence-to-the-principle-of/) [Walter Truett Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-truett-anderson/) > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I believe that prayer changes us and we change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-believe-that-prayer-changes-things-but-now-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You cannot change the things, so you don't need to stress if you're going to change them. So why complain? It looks so simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/you-cannot-change-the-things-so-you-don-t-need-to-stress-if-you-re/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [I'm always trying to change things - change my character, change my look, change my hair, change my facial hair, change my costumes, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/i-m-always-trying-to-change-things-change-my-character-change-my-look/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [When something doesn't go your way, never lose hope in Allah. That faith could be just enough for Him to change things around for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-something-doesn-t-go-your-way-never-lose-hope-in-allah-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're a black superhero, you can't erase the notion that you're black. If you're black, living in the community, and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/when-you-re-a-black-superhero-you-can-t-erase-the-notion-that-you-re/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [It's crazy how much time can change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/it-s-crazy-how-much-time-can-change-things/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [The point of the essay is to change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/the-point-of-the-essay-is-to-change-things/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-not-control-all-the-events-that-happen-to-you-but-you-can/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I don't change. The things around me change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-renner/i-don-t-change-the-things-around-me-change/) [Jeremy Renner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-renner/) [Browse all 661 Change things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to me to change things. 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