--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be sure that your soul is never so…" description: "\"Be sure that your soul is never so intensely alive as when in the deepest abnegation it waits hushed before God .\" — Alexander MacLaren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png" --- # Be sure that your soul is never so intensely alive as when… ![“Be sure that your soul is never so intensely alive as when in the deepest abnegation it waits hushed before God .” quote by Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png) > “Be sure that your soul is never so intensely alive as when in the deepest abnegation it waits hushed before God .” [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense spiritual vitality emerges when one humbly awaits divine presence in deep self‑denial. **In simple terms:** True spiritual life appears in humble waiting for God. Key Takeaway Embrace humility to feel deeper spiritual intensity. Themes spirituality humility faith Mood reflective contemplative Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - monastic life - quiet contemplation - spiritual retreats Key Concepts Divine presence self‑denial intense feeling Questions to Reflect On - How does humility deepen your spiritual experience? - What does “waiting hushed before God” mean to you? A Different Perspective May become passive if neglecting active service. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abnegation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abnegation/) [Abnegation Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abnegation-waits-894065/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Deepest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-deepest-894066/) [Deepest Abnegation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deepest-abnegation-894067/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Hushed God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hushed-god-894064/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waits Hushed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waits-hushed-894063/) [Your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-soul/) ## Related quotes > [And he’s right to say that every faction loses something when it gains a virtue: the Dauntless, brave but cruel; the Erudite, intelligent but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-he-s-right-to-say-that-every-faction-loses-something-when-it/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“no wonder you left." Yeah," i say, rolling my eyes. " It was just because of the food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/no-wonder-you-left-yeah-i-say-rolling-my-eyes-it-was-just-because-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I knew by the way he looked at her that he held her in a higher regard than he held even himself. No selfishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-knew-by-the-way-he-looked-at-her-that-he-held-her-in-a-higher/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Yeah, well," I say, "I left Abnegation because I wasn't selfless enough, no matter how hard I tried to be." "That's not entirely true."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/yeah-well-i-say-i-left-abnegation-because-i-wasn-t-selfless-enough-no/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Power is violence, its promise, its deed. Power cares nothing for reason, nothing for justice, nothing for compassion. It is, in fact, the singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/power-is-violence-its-promise-its-deed-power-cares-nothing-for-reason/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [She tips her chin up and looks at me with that Abnegation stubbornness I know so well. She may have left them, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/she-tips-her-chin-up-and-looks-at-me-with-that-abnegation/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I will be my undoing If I become my obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-will-be-my-undoing-if-i-become-my-obsession/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I also remember that my father was one of the people who voted to get the Dauntless out of the factionless sector of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-also-remember-that-my-father-was-one-of-the-people-who-voted-to-get/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Your Abnegation is showing,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/your-abnegation-is-showing/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I guess I grew suspicious of both. Power and knowledge," I say. "To the Abnegation, power should only be given to people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-guess-i-grew-suspicious-of-both-power-and-knowledge-i-say-to-the/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Dear David, I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen the way we planned it. I can’t do it. I know you’re just going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/dear-david-i-m-sorry-but-it-s-not-going-to-happen-the-way-we-planned/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [All women are brought up from the very earliest years in the belief that their ideal of character is the very opposite to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-women-are-brought-up-from-the-very-earliest-years-in-the-belief/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There is in even the most selfish passion a large element of self-abnegation. It is startling to realize that what we call extreme self-seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-is-in-even-the-most-selfish-passion-a-large-element-of-self/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [We all have to lead our own life, and we only have the one life, and the only people who can live life not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-mar-as/we-all-have-to-lead-our-own-life-and-we-only-have-the-one-life-and/) [Javier Marías](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-mar-as/) > [Few people who are born into Abnegation choose to leave it. When they do, we remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/few-people-who-are-born-into-abnegation-choose-to-leave-it-when-they/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More by Alexander MacLaren > [If our faith in God is not the veriest sham, it demands, and will produce, the abandonment sometimes, the subordination always, of external helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/if-our-faith-in-god-is-not-the-veriest-sham-it-demands-and-will/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [God keeps giving Himself as long as we bring that into which He can pour Himself. And when we stop bringing, He stops giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/god-keeps-giving-himself-as-long-as-we-bring-that-into-which-he-can/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [As we look upon that agony and those tearful prayers, let us not only look with thankfulness; but let that kneeling Saviour teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/as-we-look-upon-that-agony-and-those-tearful-prayers-let-us-not-only/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Ah, my brother, it is a far harder thing, and it is afar higher proof of a thorough-going, persistent, Christian principle woven into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/ah-my-brother-it-is-a-far-harder-thing-and-it-is-afar-higher-proof-of/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [The cross is the centre of the world's history; the incarnation of Christ and the crucifiction of our Lord are the pivot round which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/the-cross-is-the-centre-of-the-world-s-history-the-incarnation-of/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [The grave has a door on its inner side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/the-grave-has-a-door-on-its-inner-side/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Being in Christ, it is safe to forget the past; it is possible to be sure of the future; it is possible to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/being-in-christ-it-is-safe-to-forget-the-past-it-is-possible-to-be/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Do not let the loud utterances of your own wills anticipate, nor drown, the still, small voice in which God speaks. Bridle impatience till…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/do-not-let-the-loud-utterances-of-your-own-wills-anticipate-nor-drown/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Man's course begins in a garden, but it ends in a city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/man-s-course-begins-in-a-garden-but-it-ends-in-a-city/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [The cup which my Saviour giveth me, can it be anything but a cup of salvation?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/the-cup-which-my-saviour-giveth-me-can-it-be-anything-but-a-cup-of/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Love is the only fire that is hot enough to melt the iron obstinacy of a creatures' will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/love-is-the-only-fire-that-is-hot-enough-to-melt-the-iron-obstinacy/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [If you want to live in this world, doing the duty of life, knowing the blessings of it, doing your work heartily, and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/if-you-want-to-live-in-this-world-doing-the-duty-of-life-knowing-the/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Faith is the sight of the inward eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/faith-is-the-sight-of-the-inward-eye/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Every sin is a mistake, as well as a wrong; and the epitaph for the sinner is, "Thou fool!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/every-sin-is-a-mistake-as-well-as-a-wrong-and-the-epitaph-for-the/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [True peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God and will be deep and passing all understanding in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/true-peace-comes-not-from-the-absence-of-trouble-but-from-the/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) [Explore all 131 Alexander MacLaren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) ## More Abnegation quotes > [And he’s right to say that every faction loses something when it gains a virtue: the Dauntless, brave but cruel; the Erudite, intelligent but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-he-s-right-to-say-that-every-faction-loses-something-when-it/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [We all have to lead our own life, and we only have the one life, and the only people who can live life not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-mar-as/we-all-have-to-lead-our-own-life-and-we-only-have-the-one-life-and/) [Javier Marías](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-mar-as/) > [There is in even the most selfish passion a large element of self-abnegation. It is startling to realize that what we call extreme self-seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-is-in-even-the-most-selfish-passion-a-large-element-of-self/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [All women are brought up from the very earliest years in the belief that their ideal of character is the very opposite to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-women-are-brought-up-from-the-very-earliest-years-in-the-belief/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Dear David, I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen the way we planned it. I can’t do it. I know you’re just going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/dear-david-i-m-sorry-but-it-s-not-going-to-happen-the-way-we-planned/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I guess I grew suspicious of both. Power and knowledge," I say. "To the Abnegation, power should only be given to people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-guess-i-grew-suspicious-of-both-power-and-knowledge-i-say-to-the/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Your Abnegation is showing,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/your-abnegation-is-showing/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I also remember that my father was one of the people who voted to get the Dauntless out of the factionless sector of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-also-remember-that-my-father-was-one-of-the-people-who-voted-to-get/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I will be my undoing If I become my obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-will-be-my-undoing-if-i-become-my-obsession/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [She tips her chin up and looks at me with that Abnegation stubbornness I know so well. She may have left them, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/she-tips-her-chin-up-and-looks-at-me-with-that-abnegation/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Power is violence, its promise, its deed. Power cares nothing for reason, nothing for justice, nothing for compassion. It is, in fact, the singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/power-is-violence-its-promise-its-deed-power-cares-nothing-for-reason/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Yeah, well," I say, "I left Abnegation because I wasn't selfless enough, no matter how hard I tried to be." "That's not entirely true."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/yeah-well-i-say-i-left-abnegation-because-i-wasn-t-selfless-enough-no/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I knew by the way he looked at her that he held her in a higher regard than he held even himself. No selfishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-knew-by-the-way-he-looked-at-her-that-he-held-her-in-a-higher/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“no wonder you left." Yeah," i say, rolling my eyes. " It was just because of the food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/no-wonder-you-left-yeah-i-say-rolling-my-eyes-it-was-just-because-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Few people who are born into Abnegation choose to leave it. When they do, we remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/few-people-who-are-born-into-abnegation-choose-to-leave-it-when-they/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Browse all 82 Abnegation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abnegation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be sure that your soul is never so intensely alive as when in the deepest abnegation it waits hushed before God .", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander MacLaren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-intensely-alive-as-when-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abnegation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-intensely-alive-as-when-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/alexander-maclaren-3410_abnegation_be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-inten_1674486.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Be sure that your soul is never so intensely alive as when in the deepest abnegation it waits hushed before…” — Alexander MacLaren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander MacLaren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Be sure that your soul is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-intensely-alive-as-when-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/be-sure-that-your-soul-is-never-so-intensely-alive-as-when-in-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```