--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe the old cliché, 'God helps…" description: "\"I believe the old cliché, 'God helps those who help themselves,' is not only misleading but often dead wrong. My most spectacular answers to prayers ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg" --- # I believe the old cliché, 'God helps those who help… ![“I believe the old cliché, 'God helps those who help themselves,' is not only misleading but often dead wrong. My most spectacular answers to prayers have come when I was so helpless, so out of control as to be able to do nothing at all for myself.” quote by Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg) > “I believe the old cliché, 'God helps those who help themselves,' is not only misleading but often dead wrong. My most spectacular answers to prayers have come when I was so helpless, so out of control as to be able to do nothing at all for myself.” [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges the idea that self‑help alone brings divine aid, suggesting that true help often arrives when we are powerless and cannot act for ourselves. **In simple terms:** Divine help can come when we are helpless. Key Takeaway Accept vulnerability and seek help beyond self‑effort. Themes faith humility dependence misconceptions spirituality Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - illness - loss - spiritual doubt - seeking support Key Concepts theology self‑effort divine intervention Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt help arrive despite your helplessness? - How do you balance self‑action with trusting external aid? A Different Perspective It may overlook personal responsibility and the value of proactive effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Answers Prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers-prayers-254277/) [Answers to prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers-to-prayer/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Come Helpless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-helpless-1930548/) [God help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-help/) [God Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-helps-289517/) [God helps those who help themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-73392/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helpless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpless/) [Helpless Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpless-control-1076078/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Mislead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mislead/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Spectacular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacular/) ## Related quotes > [God helps those who cannot help themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-helps-those-who-cannot-help-themselves/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > ['God helps those who help themselves.' - it's a very true saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-it-s-a-very-true-saying/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [“Come in," he said gently. And inwardly raged at this portion of his being that rendered him helpless; that he could not control; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/come-in-he-said-gently-and-inwardly-raged-at-this-portion-of-his/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [The shower of answers to your prayers will continue to your dying hour. Nor will it cease then. When you pass out from beneath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/the-shower-of-answers-to-your-prayers-will-continue-to-your-dying/) [Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/) > [Help thyself, and God will help thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/help-thyself-and-god-will-help-thee/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [God doesn't help those who help themselves; He helps those who can't help themselves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/god-doesn-t-help-those-who-help-themselves-he-helps-those-who-can-t/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I'm lucky. I don't know whether I'm deserving or not. All I know is that I work damn hard for everything. And God helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/i-m-lucky-i-don-t-know-whether-i-m-deserving-or-not-all-i-know-is/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [... a bad attitude, that the love of money is the root of all evil and the rich are evil and greedy and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/a-bad-attitude-that-the-love-of-money-is-the-root-of-all-evil-and-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Heaven ne'er helps the men who will not act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/heaven-ne-er-helps-the-men-who-will-not-act/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [God answers prayers, but he doesn't always answer it your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/god-answers-prayers-but-he-doesn-t-always-answer-it-your-way/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The thing I want to really say is that I still mess up. I still go out there and say things on TV that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-shepherd/the-thing-i-want-to-really-say-is-that-i-still-mess-up-i-still-go-out/) [Sherri Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-shepherd/) > [“The Lord is in all of our lives. He loves us. He wants to bless us. He wants us to seek His help. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/the-lord-is-in-all-of-our-lives-he-loves-us-he-wants-to-bless-us-he/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [“His answers to our prayers may be delayed. They may not be the answers we want. But we must never give up on His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inc-barbour-publishing/his-answers-to-our-prayers-may-be-delayed-they-may-not-be-the-answers/) [Inc. Barbour Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inc-barbour-publishing/) > [God answers all prayers, but sometimes his answer is 'no'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/god-answers-all-prayers-but-sometimes-his-answer-is-no/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“the best answers to prayers are the ones God doesn’t answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-jones-gunn/the-best-answers-to-prayers-are-the-ones-god-doesn-t-answer/) [Robin Jones Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-jones-gunn/) ## More by Catherine Marshall > [“I soon saw, however, that Creed's obsession with death was typical of most of the children. This came out in their play. "Let's play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-soon-saw-however-that-creed-s-obsession-with-death-was-typical-of/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [The unfolding of our friendship with the Father will be a never-ending revelation strretching on into eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/the-unfolding-of-our-friendship-with-the-father-will-be-a-never/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [The house, it's already been a-settin' here for a hundred years. It'll be right here tomorrow. It's today I must be livin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/the-house-it-s-already-been-a-settin-here-for-a-hundred-years-it-ll/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [“Evil is real - and powerful. It has to be fought, not explained away, not fled. And God is against evil all the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/evil-is-real-and-powerful-it-has-to-be-fought-not-explained-away-not/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Truth could never be wholly contained in words. All of us know it: At the same moment the mouth is speaking one thing, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/truth-could-never-be-wholly-contained-in-words-all-of-us-know-it-at/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Often God has to shut a door in our face, so that He can subsequently open the door through which He wants us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/often-god-has-to-shut-a-door-in-our-face-so-that-he-can-subsequently/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Whence comes this idea that if what we are doing is fun, it can't be God's will? The God who made giraffes, a baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/whence-comes-this-idea-that-if-what-we-are-doing-is-fun-it-can-t-be/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [When the dream in our heart is one that God has planted there, a strange happiness flowers into us. At that moment all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/when-the-dream-in-our-heart-is-one-that-god-has-planted-there-a/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [“Have you ever watched a baby learning to walk? He totters, arms stretched out to balance himself. He wobbles - and falls, perhaps bumps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/have-you-ever-watched-a-baby-learning-to-walk-he-totters-arms/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [“Truth could never be wholly contained in words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/truth-could-never-be-wholly-contained-in-words/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [I learned that true forgiveness includes total self-acceptance. And out of acceptance wounds are healed and happiness is possible again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-learned-that-true-forgiveness-includes-total-self-acceptance-and/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Of course you'll encounter trouble. But behold a God of power who can take any evil and turn it into a door of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/of-course-you-ll-encounter-trouble-but-behold-a-god-of-power-who-can/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [A Christian has no business being satisfied with mediocrity. He's supposed to reach for the stars. Why not? He's not on his own anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/a-christian-has-no-business-being-satisfied-with-mediocrity-he-s/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [... where there was hunger there would also be bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/where-there-was-hunger-there-would-also-be-bread/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) [Explore all 58 Catherine Marshall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe the old cliché, 'God helps those who help themselves,' is not only misleading but often dead wrong. My most spectacular answers to prayers have come when I was so helpless, so out of control as to be able to do nothing at all for myself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherine Marshall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-is-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-is-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/catherine-marshall-11762_able_i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those_180257.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe the old cliché, 'God helps those who help themselves,' is not only misleading but often dead…” — Catherine Marshall", "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": "Catherine Marshall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe the old cliché, 'God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-is-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-believe-the-old-clich-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-is-not/#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 } } ] } ```