---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our participation in God’s life, on the…"
description: "\"“Our participation in God’s life, on the contrary, is not about mere compliance, but about a tender friendship with God, a sacred solidarity with the w..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg"
---

#  Our participation in God’s life, on the contrary, is not…

![“Our participation in God’s life, on the contrary, is not about mere compliance, but about a tender friendship with God, a sacred solidarity with the whole reality of heaven.” quote by Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg)

> ““Our participation in God’s life, on the contrary, is not about mere compliance, but about a tender friendship with God, a sacred solidarity with the whole reality of heaven.””

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

## About This Quote

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

True communion with God is a deep, loving friendship, not mere obedience, linking us to heavenly reality.

**In simple terms:** God friendship goes beyond rules.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate a heartfelt relationship with the divine.

Themes

faith friendship spirituality solidarity

Mood

reverent hopeful

Type

theological inspirational

When to use this quote

- prayer groups
- personal meditation
- community service

Key Concepts

theology mysticism

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you deepen your spiritual friendship?
- What does “sacred solidarity” mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Obedience alone may feel hollow.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendship God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship-god-461225/) [Friendship with god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship-with-god/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Participation God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participation-god-5081795/) [Sacred Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred-solidarity-6128882/) [Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solidarity/) [Tender Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tender-friendship-6128883/)

## Related quotes

> [We do three things, three things, friendship with God, friendship with one another, and open friendship for the sake of the world. Here's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-middendorf/we-do-three-things-three-things-friendship-with-god-friendship-with/)

[John Middendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-middendorf/)

> [Mental prayer is nothing else but being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/mental-prayer-is-nothing-else-but-being-on-terms-of-friendship-with/)

[Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/)

> [True worship is when a person, through their person, attains intimacy and friendship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/true-worship-is-when-a-person-through-their-person-attains-intimacy/)

[William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/)

> [Obey God in the things he shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. God will never reveal more truth about himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/obey-god-in-the-things-he-shows-you-and-instantly-the-next-thing-is/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [For each one of you, as for the apostles, the encounter with the divine Teacher who calls you friends may be the beginning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/for-each-one-of-you-as-for-the-apostles-the-encounter-with-the-divine/)

[Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/)

> [Every friendship with God and every love between Him and a soul is the only one of its kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-erskine-stuart/every-friendship-with-god-and-every-love-between-him-and-a-soul-is/)

[Janet Erskine Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-erskine-stuart/)

> [Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-teresa-of-avila/prayer-is-nothing-else-than-being-on-terms-of-friendship-with-god/)

[St Teresa Of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-teresa-of-avila/)

> [“If perfection was a requirement for friendship with God, we would never be able to be his friends. Fortunately, because of God’s grace, Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-perfection-was-a-requirement-for-friendship-with-god-we-would/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Though it's hard to be completely certain about things like this, I have a suspicion that only someone with deep freedom (one who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/though-it-s-hard-to-be-completely-certain-about-things-like-this-i/)

[Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/)

> [For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-prayer-is-nothing-else-than-being-on-terms-of-friendship-with-god/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The eye of perfected friendship with God is aware of deeper dimensions of reality, to which the eyes of the average man and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-eye-of-perfected-friendship-with-god-is-aware-of-deeper/)

[Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/)

> [For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romans-5-10/for-since-our-friendship-with-god-was-restored-by-the-death-of-his/)

[Romans 5:10](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romans-5-10/)

> [The key to friendship with God, he said, is not changing what you do, but changing your attitude toward what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-key-to-friendship-with-god-he-said-is-not-changing-what-you-do/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I'm calling my book series the 'with God series.' And this next 'with God' book is Friendship with God, which comes out in November.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/i-m-calling-my-book-series-the-with-god-series-and-this-next-with-god/)

[Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/)

> [“for mental prayer is nothing else, in my opinion, but being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him Who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/for-mental-prayer-is-nothing-else-in-my-opinion-but-being-on-terms-of/)

[Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/)

## More by Anthony Lilles

> [“Endowed with a dignity too great for this world to hold, we are in the world but not of it. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/endowed-with-a-dignity-too-great-for-this-world-to-hold-we-are-in-the/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“When His Word is welcomed into our silenced poverty, our poor silence is filled with His every blessing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/when-his-word-is-welcomed-into-our-silenced-poverty-our-poor-silence/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“the soul can be animated by a life infinitely deeper and fuller than the one that is its own by nature. It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/the-soul-can-be-animated-by-a-life-infinitely-deeper-and-fuller-than/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“The all of God, the totality of His immensity, is known in the human heart through encountering divine mercy.  The search for the Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/the-all-of-god-the-totality-of-his-immensity-is-known-in-the-human/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“In fairytales, once order is restored, the prince and the princess are married and live happily ever after.  In real life, faith anticipates but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/in-fairytales-once-order-is-restored-the-prince-and-the-princess-are/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“God’s fullness and human emptiness: the collision of these opposing forces is dangerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/god-s-fullness-and-human-emptiness-the-collision-of-these-opposing/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“It can have a second nature, a new nature within its nature, a life that is “not my own” (cf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/it-can-have-a-second-nature-a-new-nature-within-its-nature-a-life/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“Nothing subject to visible, material, and physical reality is commensurate with the desire of our hearts. How”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/nothing-subject-to-visible-material-and-physical-reality-is/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

> [“God’s nature does not impose itself from without but lifts up and expands the soul’s interiority so that the Divine Persons might dwell in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/god-s-nature-does-not-impose-itself-from-without-but-lifts-up-and/)

[Anthony Lilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

[Explore all 10 Anthony Lilles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/)

## More Friendship quotes

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/)

[Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/)

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/)

[Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/)

> [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/)

[Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/)

> [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/)

[Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/)

> [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/)

[Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/)

> [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/)

[Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/)

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/)

[Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/)

[Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Our participation in God’s life, on the contrary, is not about mere compliance, but about a tender friendship with God, a sacred solidarity with the whole reality of heaven.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anthony Lilles"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-contrary-is-not-about-mere/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Friendship"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-contrary-is-not-about-mere/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/anthony-lilles-41280_friendship_our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-c_1608230.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Our participation in God’s life, on the contrary, is not about mere compliance, but about a tender…” — Anthony Lilles",
                "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": "Anthony Lilles",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lilles/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Our participation in God’s life, on...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-contrary-is-not-about-mere/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lilles/our-participation-in-god-s-life-on-the-contrary-is-not-about-mere/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
