--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as we ourselves are real, as long…" description: "\"“As long as we ourselves are real, as long as we are truly ourselves, God can be present and can do something with us. But the moment we try to be what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/anthony-bloom-27481_presence_as-long-as-we-ourselves-are-real-as-long_457972.jpg" --- # As long as we ourselves are real, as long as we are truly… ![“As long as we ourselves are real, as long as we are truly ourselves, God can be present and can do something with us. But the moment we try to be what we are not, there is nothing left to say or have; we become a fictitious personality, an unreal presence, and this unreal presence cannot be…” quote by Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/anthony-bloom-27481_presence_as-long-as-we-ourselves-are-real-as-long_457972.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/anthony-bloom-27481_presence_as-long-as-we-ourselves-are-real-as-long_457972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/anthony-bloom-27481_presence_as-long-as-we-ourselves-are-real-as-long_457972.jpg) > ““As long as we ourselves are real, as long as we are truly ourselves, God can be present and can do something with us. But the moment we try to be what we are not, there is nothing left to say or have; we become a fictitious personality, an unreal presence, and this unreal presence cannot be approached by God.”” [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being true to oneself allows divine connection; pretending creates a false self that God cannot engage. **In simple terms:** Be real to invite divine presence. Key Takeaway Live authentically. Themes spirituality identity faith Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - personal prayer - therapy sessions - life decisions Key Concepts self-awareness theology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself do you hide? - How does authenticity affect your relationships? A Different Perspective Maintaining authenticity can be socially challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-present/) [Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence/) [Presence Unreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence-unreal-3983299/) [Truly God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-god-233078/) [Unreal Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreal-presence-3983298/) ## Related quotes > [“Is God present or is he absent? Maybe we can say now that in the center of our sadness for his absence we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/is-god-present-or-is-he-absent-maybe-we-can-say-now-that-in-the/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [Truly, God works in mysterious ways. The wheels of His mercy and justice move quietly, but they do move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/truly-god-works-in-mysterious-ways-the-wheels-of-his-mercy-and/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [If god is truly god, he is perfect, lacking nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/if-god-is-truly-god-he-is-perfect-lacking-nothing/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“As truly as God by His power once created, so truly by that same power must God every moment maintain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/as-truly-as-god-by-his-power-once-created-so-truly-by-that-same-power/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [No one has ever seen God.The Only Son,who is truly God and is closet to the Father,has shown us whAt God is like..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/god/no-one-has-ever-seen-god-the-only-son-who-is-truly-god-and-is-closet/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/god/) > [The Internet is truly God's gift to the Chinese people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-xiaobo/the-internet-is-truly-god-s-gift-to-the-chinese-people/) [Liu Xiaobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-xiaobo/) > [“Christ is “truly God and truly man” (Vera Deus, vera homo).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/christ-is-truly-god-and-truly-man-vera-deus-vera-homo/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [As truly as God is our Father, so truly God is our Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/as-truly-as-god-is-our-father-so-truly-god-is-our-mother/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) > [Truly God was good, to make man so blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/truly-god-was-good-to-make-man-so-blind/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“God desired to reveal himself in and through His creatures by communicating to them as much of His own goodness and glory as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/god-desired-to-reveal-himself-in-and-through-his-creatures-by/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“I know that if I ever become truly alive, truly spiritual, truly one with God, the CIA will kill me...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-that-if-i-ever-become-truly-alive-truly-spiritual-truly-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “the Creator, Him who is truly God, who also furnishes power to find \[the truth\];” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/the-creator-him-who-is-truly-god-who-also-furnishes-power-to-find-the/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [You will remember me for what I truly am: A God!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bray-wyatt/you-will-remember-me-for-what-i-truly-am-a-god/) [Bray Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bray-wyatt/) > [I will have nothing to do with a God who cares only occasionally. I need a God who is with us always, everywhere, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-will-have-nothing-to-do-with-a-god-who-cares-only-occasionally-i/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Each time I stop somewhere and look out, there are more people sitting there than there were the time I came before. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/each-time-i-stop-somewhere-and-look-out-there-are-more-people-sitting/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) ## More by Anthony Bloom > [“One of the dangers in prayer is to try to find words that will be somehow on the level of God. Unfortunately, as none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/one-of-the-dangers-in-prayer-is-to-try-to-find-words-that-will-be/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“As Christians we are always in tension - in an anguish and at the same time in bliss. This is mad, ridiculous. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/as-christians-we-are-always-in-tension-in-an-anguish-and-at-the-same/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“(Quoted in Dennis Okholm's Monk Habits for Everyday People ) Settle down in your room at a moment when you have nothing else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/quoted-in-dennis-okholm-s-monk-habits-for-everyday-people-settle-down/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“St. John Chrysostom said 'Find the door of your heart, you will discover it is the door of the kingdom of God.' So it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/st-john-chrysostom-said-find-the-door-of-your-heart-you-will-discover/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“So often when we say 'I love you' we say it with a huge 'I' and a small 'you'. We use love as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/so-often-when-we-say-i-love-you-we-say-it-with-a-huge-i-and-a-small/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“In the life of Moses, in Hebrew folklore, there is a remarkable passage. Moses finds a shepherd in the desert. He spends the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/in-the-life-of-moses-in-hebrew-folklore-there-is-a-remarkable-passage/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“There is absolutely no need to run after time to catch it. It does not run away from us, it runs towards us. Whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/there-is-absolutely-no-need-to-run-after-time-to-catch-it-it-does-not/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“Because we don't know yet how to act without an outer reason, we discover that we don't know what to do with ourselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/because-we-don-t-know-yet-how-to-act-without-an-outer-reason-we/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“We cannot live a life of prayer, we cannot go ahead Godwards, unless we are free form possession in order to have two hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/we-cannot-live-a-life-of-prayer-we-cannot-go-ahead-godwards-unless-we/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“Theophan the Recluse said, 'Most people are like a shaving of wood which is curled round its central emptiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/theophan-the-recluse-said-most-people-are-like-a-shaving-of-wood/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“Generally, it is greed, fear and curiosity which make us live outwardly. A French scientist who worked in America, Alexis Carrel, said in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/generally-it-is-greed-fear-and-curiosity-which-make-us-live-outwardly/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“What is the basic difference between saying 'I know that God exists' and saying 'I know that love exists'?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/what-is-the-basic-difference-between-saying-i-know-that-god-exists-2/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“To pluck a flower means to take possession of it, and it also means to kill it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/to-pluck-a-flower-means-to-take-possession-of-it-and-it-also-means-to/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“Have you never noticed that to be rich always means an impoverishment on another level? It is enough for you to say 'I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/have-you-never-noticed-that-to-be-rich-always-means-an-impoverishment/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) > [“...one of our great spiritual guides, Theophan the Recluse, says: 'The awareness of God shall be with you as clearly as a toothache.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bloom/one-of-our-great-spiritual-guides-theophan-the-recluse-says-the/) [Anthony Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) [Explore all 20 Anthony Bloom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bloom/) ## More Presence quotes > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [“Only through absence can we understand presence, he told me, and I understood that by then. I understood it well. After”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-domet/only-through-absence-can-we-understand-presence-he-told-me-and-i/) [Sarah Domet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-domet/) > [Racism has never been outright gone in the history of this nation, but I think we've had moments where everybody has been really fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/racism-has-never-been-outright-gone-in-the-history-of-this-nation-but/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [When one is frank, one's very presence is a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/when-one-is-frank-one-s-very-presence-is-a-compliment/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [“A spark of every fire we seek is already within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/a-spark-of-every-fire-we-seek-is-already-within-us/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [In solitude, at last, we’re able to let God define us the way we are always supposed to be defined—by relationship: the I-thou relationship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-solitude-at-last-we-re-able-to-let-god-define-us-the-way-we-are/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Throughout my years, I've had the pleasure of assembling and training what I believe to be the best group of people in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-adair/throughout-my-years-i-ve-had-the-pleasure-of-assembling-and-training/) [Red Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-adair/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Seeing my children makes me come most alive. I come home and I see my kids' faces light up when they see me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/seeing-my-children-makes-me-come-most-alive-i-come-home-and-i-see-my/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [God is near whether you sense His presence or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-is-near-whether-you-sense-his-presence-or-not/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“In your darkest times, never be afraid. The Lord's presence is always with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/in-your-darkest-times-never-be-afraid-the-lord-s-presence-is-always/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/what-distinguishes-a-great-player-is-his-presence-when-he-goes-on-to/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [“But with Dimitri, I never felt like I had to be anything more what I already was. I didn't have to entertain him or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/but-with-dimitri-i-never-felt-like-i-had-to-be-anything-more-what-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Browse all 1,426 Presence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As long as we ourselves are real, as long as we are truly ourselves, God can be present and can do something with us. 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