--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A car is made to run on petrol, and it…" description: "\"“A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/c-s-lewis-121_asking-god_a-car-is-made-to-run-on-petrol-and-it-wo_1107734.jpg" --- # A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run… ![“A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking…” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/c-s-lewis-121_asking-god_a-car-is-made-to-run-on-petrol-and-it-wo_1107734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/c-s-lewis-121_asking-god_a-car-is-made-to-run-on-petrol-and-it-wo_1107734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/c-s-lewis-121_asking-god_a-car-is-made-to-run-on-petrol-and-it-wo_1107734.jpg) > ““A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. That”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human fulfillment comes from aligning with a divine source, not from self‑crafted happiness. **In simple terms:** True joy comes from God, not personal desire. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond self‑interest. Themes spirituality purpose theology human nature Mood reflective inspirational Type theological motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - community building - mental health - ethical decisions Key Concepts divine love self‑transcendence faith Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be “filled” by something larger? - How can we respect diverse beliefs while sharing this view? A Different Perspective Relying solely on external sources for happiness can be fragile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asking god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-god/) [God Designed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-designed-620926/) [God Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-happiness-414941/) [Happiness And Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-and-peace/) [Properly God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/properly-god-2935106/) [Religion god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-god/) ## Related quotes > [God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-made-us-invented-us-as-a-man-invents-an-engine-a-car-is-made-to-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/god-cannot-give-us-a-happiness-and-peace-apart-from-himself-because/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A god whose creation is so imperfect that he must be continually adjusting it to make it work properly seems to me a god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/a-god-whose-creation-is-so-imperfect-that-he-must-be-continually/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [“We are, not metaphorically but in very truth, a Divine work of art, something that God is making, and therefore something with which He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-are-not-metaphorically-but-in-very-truth-a-divine-work-of-art/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [If anything becomes more fundamental than God to your happiness, meaning of life, and identity then it is an idol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-anything-becomes-more-fundamental-than-god-to-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When i ask god for every happiness for everyone.I am waiting for it to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sh-sheeban/when-i-ask-god-for-every-happiness-for-everyone-i-am-waiting-for-it/) [sh sheeban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sh-sheeban/) > [“Because there is happiness only where there is coordination with the Truth, the Reality, the Act that underlies and directs all things to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/because-there-is-happiness-only-where-there-is-coordination-with-the/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“God cannot give us happiness apart from Himself, because there is no such thing.” —C. S. Lewis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/god-cannot-give-us-happiness-apart-from-himself-because-there-is-no/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [The single most important principle I ever discovered is this: the goal or purpose of the Christian is precisely the pursuit of happiness -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/the-single-most-important-principle-i-ever-discovered-is-this-the/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) > [The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-enjoyment-of-god-is-the-only-happiness-with-which-our-souls-can/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“all people who are happy have God within them. And that happiness could be found in a grain of sand from the desert, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/all-people-who-are-happy-have-god-within-them-and-that-happiness/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I sincerely hope that all of you will become practitioners of happiness for the sake of the people to come. Please be the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sincerely-hope-that-all-of-you-will-become-practitioners-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of all the gifts You have offered to God, Your happiness-gift He treasures most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/of-all-the-gifts-you-have-offered-to-god-your-happiness-gift-he/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [I have fun. I enjoy my life. And I was hardwired for a deep connection between service, God, and happiness. You kind of need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-have-fun-i-enjoy-my-life-and-i-was-hardwired-for-a-deep-connection/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [When I Asked God for Strength He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face When I Asked God for Brain & Brawn He Gave Me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-asked-god-for-strength-he-gave-me-difficult-situations-to-face/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-to-education-today-is-to-teach-fewer/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-the-divine-call-does-not-make-us-better-it-will-make-us-very-much/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-husband-is-the-head-of-the-wife-just-in-so-far-as-he-is-to-her/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he "wants a woman". Strictly speaking, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-use-a-most-unfortunate-idiom-when-we-say-of-a-lustful-man-prowling/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Después de cada fracaso, pedid perdón, levantaos del suelo y volved a intentarlo. Muy a menudo, lo que Dios nos otorga primero no es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/despu-s-de-cada-fracaso-pedid-perd-n-levantaos-del-suelo-y-volved-a/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) [Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Asking god quotes > [The seeker asking, Where is God? Is really God saying, Where indeed is the seeker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/the-seeker-asking-where-is-god-is-really-god-saying-where-indeed-is/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [“Donald Grey Barnhouse was one who set an example of combining gospel preaching with humble prayer. He often could be found in the sanctuary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-d-phillips/donald-grey-barnhouse-was-one-who-set-an-example-of-combining-gospel/) [Richard D. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-d-phillips/) > [We need never refrain from asking anything of God simply on the ground that we think it impossible. God specializes in "impossible" things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-eugene-simcox/we-need-never-refrain-from-asking-anything-of-god-simply-on-the/) [Carroll Eugene Simcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-eugene-simcox/) > [“The point which we consider it our duty to note is, that outside of and beyond his faith, as it were, the Bishop possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-point-which-we-consider-it-our-duty-to-note-is-that-outside-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [3 2 = one heart praying 4 you. 1 + 1= two eyes looking for you. 3+2= five senses missing you. 4+3= seven days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/3-2-one-heart-praying-4-you-1-1-two-eyes-looking-for-you-3-2-five/) [Azgraybebly Joslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azgraybebly-joslan/) > [“You’ve been tested.’ He advised me to try and ‘forgive and pardon, and this way seek to become beloved by God’ without my forgiveness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiane-backer/you-ve-been-tested-he-advised-me-to-try-and-forgive-and-pardon-and/) [Kristiane Backer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiane-backer/) > [Don't waste time asking God to keep you from doing things. Don't do them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/don-t-waste-time-asking-god-to-keep-you-from-doing-things-don-t-do/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [I love my real bitches , fuck the fake hoes. I be asking god , why you even make those .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/i-love-my-real-bitches-fuck-the-fake-hoes-i-be-asking-god-why-you/) [Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/) > [“What you are asking God to do will induce a major impact on your life. That major impact cannot happen with minor faith. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-l-thompson/what-you-are-asking-god-to-do-will-induce-a-major-impact-on-your-life/) [V.L. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-l-thompson/) > [Many times in our lives we have to make difficult decisions that will affect not only our lives, but the lives of others around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-maynard/many-times-in-our-lives-we-have-to-make-difficult-decisions-that-will/) [Gene Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-maynard/) > [As a non believer I don't get the idea of asking god for things via prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/as-a-non-believer-i-don-t-get-the-idea-of-asking-god-for-things-via/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [“Sometimes, you have to shot block a friend's prayer because she's asking God to bless an obviously bad dating relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-shot-block-a-friend-s-prayer-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking God to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/i-used-to-ask-god-to-help-me-then-i-asked-if-i-might-help-him-i-ended/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [For many people, God is a frightening idea. Asking God for help doesn't seem very comforting if we think of Him as something outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-people-god-is-a-frightening-idea-asking-god-for-help-doesn-t/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/have-you-been-asking-god-what-he-is-going-to-do-he-will-never-tell/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) [Browse all 123 Asking god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. That”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C.S. 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