Affliction Quote by Ben Jonson
“Affliction teacheth a wicked person sometime to pray; prosperity never.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Alchemist, 1610
A sinner learns that suffering can lead to prayer, while comfort may keep one from seeking higher help.
In simple terms: Suffering can prompt prayer; comfort may block it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hardship as a chance for spiritual reflection.
Themes
spirituality
humility
reflection
Mood
contemplative
serene
Type
moral
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- religious contemplation
- moral teaching
Key Concepts
sin
prayer
prosperity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does discomfort affect your spiritual practice?
- Can prosperity coexist with humility?
A Different Perspective
Comfort can also inspire gratitude, not just neglect of prayer.
![“[The] insistence on the absolutely indiscriminate nature of compassion within the Kingdom is the dominant perspective of almost all of Jesus' teaching. What is indiscriminate compassion? 'Take a look at a rose. Is is possible for the rose to say, "I'll offer my fragrance to good people and…” quote by Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/074/brennan-manning-959_bad-people_the-insistence-on-the-absolutely-indiscr_2586253.jpg)
![“May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down my face make me more radiant: may my hidden weeping bloom… How we waste our afflictions!... [T]hey're really our wintering foliage, our dark greens of meaning…” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c7/rainer-maria-rilke-193_abode_may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and_52479.jpg)
