--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prayer is request. The essence of…" description: "\"Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. And if an infinitely wise Being listens t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/c-s-lewis-2-132_compulsion_prayer-is-request-the-essence-of-request_2571958.jpg" --- # Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct… ![“Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. And if an infinitely wise Being listens to the requests of finite and foolish creatures, of course He will sometimes grant and sometimes refuse them.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/c-s-lewis-2-132_compulsion_prayer-is-request-the-essence-of-request_2571958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/c-s-lewis-2-132_compulsion_prayer-is-request-the-essence-of-request_2571958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1e/c-s-lewis-2-132_compulsion_prayer-is-request-the-essence-of-request_2571958.jpg) > “Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. And if an infinitely wise Being listens to the requests of finite and foolish creatures, of course He will sometimes grant and sometimes refuse them.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Requests to a higher power are not guaranteed; they reflect humility and the possibility of denial. **In simple terms:** Requests may be denied by a wise being. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty in prayer. Themes faith humility uncertainty Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - prayer practice - moral decision making - seeking guidance Key Concepts theology free will Questions to Reflect On - Do you expect answers to every prayer? - How do you handle unanswered prayers? A Different Perspective Assuming all requests are granted leads to entitlement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compulsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion/) [Compulsion Granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion-granted-1700072/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Distinct Compulsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinct-compulsion-1700073/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Essence Request](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence-request-1700074/) [Finite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finite/) [Foolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolish/) [Granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/granted/) [Grants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grants/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Request](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-request-1445251/) [Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse/) [Request](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/request/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [For prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-prayer-is-request-the-essence-of-request-as-distinct-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God knows the hour of each person's passing. Whatever we did or didn't do for someone we loved, the timing of his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-curtis-higgs/god-knows-the-hour-of-each-person-s-passing-whatever-we-did-or-didn-t/) [Liz Curtis Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-curtis-higgs/) > [Every promise of Scripture is a writing of God, which may be pleaded before Him with this reasonable request, 'Do as Thou hast said.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-promise-of-scripture-is-a-writing-of-god-which-may-be-pleaded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When a woman didn't enjoy it, she leaves early in the morning. Those who had a nice time will wait until the sun comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-malema/when-a-woman-didn-t-enjoy-it-she-leaves-early-in-the-morning-those/) [Julius Malema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-malema/) > [Many of the earmark request forms are actually filled out by lobbyists and then just turned in by the member's staff to the appropriations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-flake/many-of-the-earmark-request-forms-are-actually-filled-out-by/) [Jeff Flake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-flake/) > [You will not have that for which you ask, nor can you have anything you want. This is because your very request is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/you-will-not-have-that-for-which-you-ask-nor-can-you-have-anything/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [I don't say yes to every interview request.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicklas-bendtner/i-don-t-say-yes-to-every-interview-request/) [Nicklas Bendtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicklas-bendtner/) > [ My four-year-old daughter regularly requests reading Book One \[the March\] at bedtime; the methods of reading, delivering, and processing the book's content vary according… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-powell/my-four-year-old-daughter-regularly-requests-reading-book-one-the/) [Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-powell/) > [I always give the encore over to chaos, so people can yell out requests and I can hack my way through a song that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/i-always-give-the-encore-over-to-chaos-so-people-can-yell-out/) [Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/) > [I once was asked to contribute to a mushroom poem anthology. I didn't have anything, and so instead ended up writing the introduction. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hirshfield/i-once-was-asked-to-contribute-to-a-mushroom-poem-anthology-i-didn-t/) [Jane Hirshfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hirshfield/) > [Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-everywhere-is-in-conspiracy-against-the-manhood-of-every-one/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Friend request from a cute girl is an automatic follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kliff-kingsbury/friend-request-from-a-cute-girl-is-an-automatic-follow/) [Kliff Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kliff-kingsbury/) > [Patience is a most necessary qualification for business; many a man would rather you heard his story than granted his request. One must seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/patience-is-a-most-necessary-qualification-for-business-many-a-man/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [In general, librarians enjoyed special requests. A reference librarian is someone who likes the chase. When librarians read for pleasure, they often pick a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-joy-fowler/in-general-librarians-enjoyed-special-requests-a-reference-librarian/) [Karen Joy Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-joy-fowler/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Compulsion quotes > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I think it's in our nature to try to get beyond that next horizon. I think that when we as a species are scratching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/i-think-it-s-in-our-nature-to-try-to-get-beyond-that-next-horizon-i/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/you-develop-an-instant-global-consciousness-a-people-orientation-an/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I found myself compelled - like this weird, shameful compulsion - to draw cute animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/i-found-myself-compelled-like-this-weird-shameful-compulsion-to-draw/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [Why am I always at war with myself? 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Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [I have with me two gods, Persuasion and Compulsion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/themistocles/i-have-with-me-two-gods-persuasion-and-compulsion/) [Themistocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/themistocles/) > [When you are dealing with a serious compulsion or addictive pattern, then by definition self-will, self-discipline, and any other machinations of the conscious mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/when-you-are-dealing-with-a-serious-compulsion-or-addictive-pattern/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 513 Compulsion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. 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