--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's sobering to contemplate how much…" description: "\"It's sobering to contemplate how much time, effort, sacrifice, compromise, and attention we give to acquiring and increasing our supply of something th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg" --- # It's sobering to contemplate how much time, effort… ![“It's sobering to contemplate how much time, effort, sacrifice, compromise, and attention we give to acquiring and increasing our supply of something that is totally insignificant in eternity.” quote by Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg) > “It's sobering to contemplate how much time, effort, sacrifice, compromise, and attention we give to acquiring and increasing our supply of something that is totally insignificant in eternity.” [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We invest massive effort in fleeting, material pursuits that hold no lasting value beyond this life. **In simple terms:** People focus on trivial things. Key Takeaway Prioritize lasting, meaningful goals. Themes values eternity materialism Mood contemplative inspirational Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - career ambition - consumerism - social media Key Concepts spiritual focus life purpose Questions to Reflect On - What truly matters beyond this life? - How can you shift focus to lasting values? A Different Perspective Sometimes material goals provide necessary security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Whereas I think: I’m lying here in a haystack... The tiny space I occupy is so infinitesimal in comparison with the rest of space,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whereas-i-think-i-m-lying-here-in-a-haystack-the-tiny-space-i-occupy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Things that are easily acquired, obtained, or maintained, without any effort or sacrifice lack value...it's human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-that-are-easily-acquired-obtained-or-maintained-without-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [. . . as people serve, they grow in capacity. The time and effort is not a sacrifice because there is returned more than is given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/as-people-serve-they-grow-in-capacity-the-time-and-effort-is-not-a/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [What keeps so many people back is simply unwillingness to pay the price, to make the exertion, the effort to sacrifice their ease and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/what-keeps-so-many-people-back-is-simply-unwillingness-to-pay-the/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [The Church expects that each of us carry a share of the burden of leadership. There is no paid clergy. The work is done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-church-expects-that-each-of-us-carry-a-share-of-the-burden-of/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Imperialism has been defeated in many partial battles. But it remains a considerable force in the world, and we cannot expect its final defeat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/imperialism-has-been-defeated-in-many-partial-battles-but-it-remains/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [“We should know that reviving a nation needs effort and sacrifice and that we will experience rest only when the struggle achieves the prospective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hatem-a-aly/we-should-know-that-reviving-a-nation-needs-effort-and-sacrifice-and/) Hatem A. Aly > [Discipline brings us effort, sacrifice and suffering. Later it brings us something of an inestimable value: something of which those who live only for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-carrel/discipline-brings-us-effort-sacrifice-and-suffering-later-it-brings/) [Alexis Carrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-carrel/) > [Anything so precious as the gospel of Jesus Christ is worthy of all the effort and sacrifice of time and means employed to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/anything-so-precious-as-the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-is-worthy-of-all/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I have learned to make a lot of effort and sacrifice for this sport, and now I can say it's paying me back. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-el-shaarawy/i-have-learned-to-make-a-lot-of-effort-and-sacrifice-for-this-sport/) [Stephan El Shaarawy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-el-shaarawy/) > [“Humility is even more sobering than embarrassment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-winters/humility-is-even-more-sobering-than-embarrassment/) [Sara Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-winters/) > [Sobering up was responsible for breaking up my marriage. That's what it couldn't stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/sobering-up-was-responsible-for-breaking-up-my-marriage-that-s-what/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [ \[The Moon\] was a sobering sight, but it didn't have the impact on me, at least, as the view of the Earth did. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-borman/the-moon-was-a-sobering-sight-but-it-didn-t-have-the-impact-on-me-at/) [Frank Borman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-borman/) > [The sobering thought is that individuals and societies are not, in the end, remembered for how they made their money, but for how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-handy/the-sobering-thought-is-that-individuals-and-societies-are-not-in-the/) [Charles Handy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-handy/) > [It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/it-is-a-sobering-thought-that-when-mozart-was-my-age-he-had-been-dead/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) ## More by Anne Graham Lotz > [Religion can be one of the greatest impediments to finding God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/religion-can-be-one-of-the-greatest-impediments-to-finding-god/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [I believe our nation is in deep trouble. We seem to have lost our identity because in many ways we're separated from God. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/i-believe-our-nation-is-in-deep-trouble-we-seem-to-have-lost-our/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Desperation compels us to pray with fervent, focused faith - especially when we have no one else to turn to. God honors our faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/desperation-compels-us-to-pray-with-fervent-focused-faith-especially/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [If Jesus forgave those who nailed Him to the cross, and if God forgives you and me, how can you withhold your forgiveness from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/if-jesus-forgave-those-who-nailed-him-to-the-cross-and-if-god/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Communication with God is vital to a vibrant relationship with him. We will never really know God in an intimate, personal relationship if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/communication-with-god-is-vital-to-a-vibrant-relationship-with-him-we/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Even as a teenager, I felt that for whatever reason that we were living very close to the end of human history. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/even-as-a-teenager-i-felt-that-for-whatever-reason-that-we-were/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Abraham wasn't perfect. He failed, made mistakes. But, he would go back, get right with God, and then just keep moving forward. He didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/abraham-wasn-t-perfect-he-failed-made-mistakes-but-he-would-go-back/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [“Sometimes when I open my Bible to read, a verse leaps off the page and I know God is speaking to me. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/sometimes-when-i-open-my-bible-to-read-a-verse-leaps-off-the-page-and/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [When the storms of life come, if they come to me personally, to my family or to the world, I want to be strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/when-the-storms-of-life-come-if-they-come-to-me-personally-to-my/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [There were so many outstanding women in scripture that were leaders. And, you know, the organized church sometimes puts boundaries on us that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/there-were-so-many-outstanding-women-in-scripture-that-were-leaders/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [I get up earlier than my husband and I intentionally spend time in prayer and Bible reading just to focus myself for the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/i-get-up-earlier-than-my-husband-and-i-intentionally-spend-time-in/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [One misconception is that if we follow God in the life of faith, and that means obedience - that we read His Word, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/one-misconception-is-that-if-we-follow-god-in-the-life-of-faith-and/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Are you facing a superheated furnace? What God wants is for you to look full in the face of Jesus. Get your focus off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/are-you-facing-a-superheated-furnace-what-god-wants-is-for-you-to/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [“God is in the darkness and God is in the wilderness. I now know that by personal experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/god-is-in-the-darkness-and-god-is-in-the-wilderness-i-now-know-that/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Our ultimate aim in life is not to be healthy, wealthy, prosperous, or problem free. Our ultimate aim in life is to bring glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/our-ultimate-aim-in-life-is-not-to-be-healthy-wealthy-prosperous-or/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) [Explore all 83 Anne Graham Lotz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's sobering to contemplate how much time, effort, sacrifice, compromise, and attention we give to acquiring and increasing our supply of something that is totally insignificant in eternity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Graham Lotz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-time-effort-sacrifice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acquire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-time-effort-sacrifice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e0/anne-graham-lotz-8153_acquire_it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-ti_1232751.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's sobering to contemplate how much time, effort, sacrifice, compromise, and attention we give to…” — Anne Graham Lotz", "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": "Anne Graham Lotz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's sobering to contemplate how much...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-time-effort-sacrifice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/it-s-sobering-to-contemplate-how-much-time-effort-sacrifice/#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 } } ] } ```