--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we want to be something other than…" description: "\"When we want to be something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy...whether we like i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/c-s-lewis-2-132_compliment_when-we-want-to-be-something-other-than_850689.jpg" --- # When we want to be something other than the thing that God… ![“When we want to be something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy...whether we like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we want. Once more, we are embarrassed by the intolerable compliment, by too…” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/c-s-lewis-2-132_compliment_when-we-want-to-be-something-other-than_850689.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/c-s-lewis-2-132_compliment_when-we-want-to-be-something-other-than_850689.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/c-s-lewis-2-132_compliment_when-we-want-to-be-something-other-than_850689.jpg) > “When we want to be something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy...whether we like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we want. Once more, we are embarrassed by the intolerable compliment, by too much love, not too little.” [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. Suggests divine intent aligns with true happiness, not fleeting desires. **In simple terms:** God gives what we truly need, not what we think we want. Key Takeaway Trust deeper purpose. Themes faith purpose contentment Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - life decisions - spiritual crises - personal growth Key Concepts theodicy spiritual growth Questions to Reflect On - What does true happiness mean to you? - How do you discern genuine need from fleeting wish? A Different Perspective Human desire can conflict with divine plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Too Much Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much-love/) ## Related quotes > [When we want to be something other than the thing God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-want-to-be-something-other-than-the-thing-god-wants-us-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not Eve, whose fault was only too much love, Which made her give this present to her dear, That what she tasted he likewise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-lanier/not-eve-whose-fault-was-only-too-much-love-which-made-her-give-this/) [Emilia Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-lanier/) > [There are only two kinds of pain: too much love or too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-stone/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-pain-too-much-love-or-too-little/) [Jennifer Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-stone/) > [You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain, too much love drives a man insane. 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He just wants you there. Wanting him. And time is running out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-kraus/and-he-doesn-t-care-what-you-re-wearing-or-what-you-ve-brought-him-he/) [Nicola Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-kraus/) ## 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. 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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 Compliment quotes > [Hot legs, bring your Mother, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/hot-legs-bring-your-mother-too/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [I see the joy in life and I see the joy in simple things. I over-compliment. I over-praise. I over-express my feelings toward people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-lansing/i-see-the-joy-in-life-and-i-see-the-joy-in-simple-things-i-over/) [Sherry Lansing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-lansing/) > [The words I LOVE YOU, sometimes fooled us... But when someone says I TRUST YOU.. 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