--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before you can find God, you must lose…" description: "\"Before you can find God, you must lose yourself.\" — Baal Shem Tov" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png" --- # Before you can find God, you must lose yourself. ![“Before you can find God, you must lose yourself.” quote by Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png) > “Before you can find God, you must lose yourself.” [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-transcendence is required before spiritual connection can be realized. **In simple terms:** Lose self to find God. Key Takeaway Let go of ego. Themes spirituality self‑sacrifice inner growth Mood contemplative hopeful Type mystical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation retreats - prayer circles - personal crises - therapy sessions Key Concepts mysticism transcendence self‑loss Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself must you release? - How do you distinguish surrender from self‑destruction? A Different Perspective Self‑loss may lead to nihilism if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-lose-399621/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Lose yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-yourself/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Losing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-yourself/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [There is no way to find yourself until you discover how utterly to lose yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-jones/there-is-no-way-to-find-yourself-until-you-discover-how-utterly-to/) [Rufus Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-jones/) > [When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-lose-touch-with-yourself-you-lose-yourself-in-the-world/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [If I believe in God and life after death and you do not, and if there is no God, we both lose when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/if-i-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-and-you-do-not-and-if-there/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Pilgrimage means being alert to the times when all that's needed is a trip to a remote place to simply lose yourself, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-cousineau/pilgrimage-means-being-alert-to-the-times-when-all-that-s-needed-is-a/) [Phil Cousineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-cousineau/) > [You had to come back to learn how to lose yourself, to be pilot and stray-witch, Hansel and Gretel in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-heaney/you-had-to-come-back-to-learn-how-to-lose-yourself-to-be-pilot-and/) [Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-heaney/) > [My seminars are for you. They are moments, hours and evenings outside of time. A chance, in a highly charged environment, to meditate, find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/my-seminars-are-for-you-they-are-moments-hours-and-evenings-outside/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It doesn't happen all the time, but in the moments where you really lose yourself and you fall into this character, it's like time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/it-doesn-t-happen-all-the-time-but-in-the-moments-where-you-really/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [Love is scary because it pulls you in with an intense force, a supermassive black hole which looks like nothing from the outside but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/love-is-scary-because-it-pulls-you-in-with-an-intense-force-a/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [To lose yourself in righteous service to others can lift your sights and get your mind off personal problems, or at least put them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/to-lose-yourself-in-righteous-service-to-others-can-lift-your-sights/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [You lose yourself trying to hold on to someone who doesn't care about losing you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tablo/you-lose-yourself-trying-to-hold-on-to-someone-who-doesn-t-care-about/) [Tablo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tablo/) > [There is a particular danger with a war that God commands. What if God should lose?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/there-is-a-particular-danger-with-a-war-that-god-commands-what-if-god/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [Gestating characters feels something like the mental equivalent of gestating a baby. In both cases, to create them you lose yourself. Or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/gestating-characters-feels-something-like-the-mental-equivalent-of/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [You may lose people you love. You may lose things you had.. but no matter what, never lose yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/you-may-lose-people-you-love-you-may-lose-things-you-had-but-no/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [When you lose all sense of self the bonds of a thousands chains will vanish. Lose yourself completely, return to the root of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/when-you-lose-all-sense-of-self-the-bonds-of-a-thousands-chains-will/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [We must not just be in the world and above the world, but also of the world. To love it for what it is...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/we-must-not-just-be-in-the-world-and-above-the-world-but-also-of-the/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## More by Baal Shem Tov > [Fear builds walls to bar the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/fear-builds-walls-to-bar-the-light/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [Everybody is unique. Compare not yourself with anybody else lest you spoil God's curriculum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/everybody-is-unique-compare-not-yourself-with-anybody-else-lest-you/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [Your fellow man is your mirror. If your own face is clean, the image you perceive will also be flawless. But should you look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/your-fellow-man-is-your-mirror-if-your-own-face-is-clean-the-image/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [The world is new to us every morning - and every man should believe he is reborn each day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/the-world-is-new-to-us-every-morning-and-every-man-should-believe-he/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [The world is new to us every morning - this is God's gift; and every man should believe he is reborn each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/the-world-is-new-to-us-every-morning-this-is-god-s-gift-and-every-man/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [Just as we love ourselves despite the shortcomings we have, so should we love others despite the shortcomings they have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/just-as-we-love-ourselves-despite-the-shortcomings-we-have-so-should/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [We should learn and reflect to the best of our capacity, but when we reach a point where we are unable to make sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/we-should-learn-and-reflect-to-the-best-of-our-capacity-but-when-we/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [As man acts, God reacts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/as-man-acts-god-reacts/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [A broom sweeps clean, and itself becomes soiled; cleanse yourself of those offenses of which you may feel guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/a-broom-sweeps-clean-and-itself-becomes-soiled-cleanse-yourself-of/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [He who is full of joy is full of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/he-who-is-full-of-joy-is-full-of-love/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [If the Bible didn't show us the weaknesses, the vulnerabilities , the sins of our heroes, we might have deep questions about their true virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/if-the-bible-didn-t-show-us-the-weaknesses-the-vulnerabilities-the/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [Whenever feeling downcast, each person should vitally remember, "For my sake, the entire world was created."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/whenever-feeling-downcast-each-person-should-vitally-remember-for-my/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [Pleasures are manifestations of God's name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/pleasures-are-manifestations-of-god-s-name/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [When a father complains that his son has taken to evil ways, what should he do? Love him more than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/when-a-father-complains-that-his-son-has-taken-to-evil-ways-what/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [The central aspect of worship is the feeling of being at one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/the-central-aspect-of-worship-is-the-feeling-of-being-at-one-with-god/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) [Explore all 32 Baal Shem Tov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) ## More Funny quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) [Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/) [Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Before you can find God, you must lose yourself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Baal Shem Tov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/baal-shem-tov-19648_funny_before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yo_1248654.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Before you can find God, you must lose yourself.” — Baal Shem Tov", "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": "Baal Shem Tov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Before you can find God, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/before-you-can-find-god-you-must-lose-yourself/#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 } } ] } ```