--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not drift into spiritual life or…" description: "\"We do not drift into spiritual life or disciplined prayer. We will not grow in prayer unless we plan to pray.\" — D. A. Carson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/d-a-carson-4044_discipline_we-do-not-drift-into-spiritual-life-or-d_690303.png" --- # We do not drift into spiritual life or disciplined prayer… ![“We do not drift into spiritual life or disciplined prayer. We will not grow in prayer unless we plan to pray.” quote by D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/d-a-carson-4044_discipline_we-do-not-drift-into-spiritual-life-or-d_690303.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/d-a-carson-4044_discipline_we-do-not-drift-into-spiritual-life-or-d_690303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/d-a-carson-4044_discipline_we-do-not-drift-into-spiritual-life-or-d_690303.png) > “We do not drift into spiritual life or disciplined prayer. We will not grow in prayer unless we plan to pray.” [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer requires intentional planning; without deliberate effort, spiritual growth stalls. **In simple terms:** Prayer needs planning to grow. Key Takeaway Plan regular prayer times. Themes spiritual discipline intentionality growth Mood reflective serious Type didactic inspirational When to use this quote - personal devotion - church services - spiritual retreats Key Concepts theology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you schedule prayer amid a busy day? - What obstacles prevent consistent prayer? A Different Perspective Planning alone may not overcome distractions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-life/) ## Related quotes > [Much praying is not done because we do not plan to pray. We do not drift into spiritual life; we do not drift into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/much-praying-is-not-done-because-we-do-not-plan-to-pray-we-do-not/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We will all be far better spouses, parents, and leaders as we take time to grow in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bickle/we-will-all-be-far-better-spouses-parents-and-leaders-as-we-take-time/) [Mike Bickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bickle/) > [Our prayer will never grow obsolete, no matter what other ideas or philosophies may appear, or what other measures may be taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masahisa-goi/our-prayer-will-never-grow-obsolete-no-matter-what-other-ideas-or/) [Masahisa Goi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masahisa-goi/) > [My prayer for you is that you may grow in the likeness of Christ, being real carriers of God's love and that you really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/my-prayer-for-you-is-that-you-may-grow-in-the-likeness-of-christ/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [You will never enjoy the sweetness of a quiet prayer unless you shut your mind to all worldly desires and temporal affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-of-xanten/you-will-never-enjoy-the-sweetness-of-a-quiet-prayer-unless-you-shut/) Norbert of Xanten > [The door is closed to prayer unless it is opened with the key of trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-door-is-closed-to-prayer-unless-it-is-opened-with-the-key-of-trust/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [You are not going to know the meaning of God or prayer unless you reduce yourself to a cipher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/you-are-not-going-to-know-the-meaning-of-god-or-prayer-unless-you/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Many of us in our praying are like nasty little boys who ring front door bells and run away before anyone answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/many-of-us-in-our-praying-are-like-nasty-little-boys-who-ring-front/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Plain intellectual thinking is the peak of ignorance because all that you will know is to play with a few aspects and make others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/plain-intellectual-thinking-is-the-peak-of-ignorance-because-all-that/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [Be brave! Be strong! Be fearless! Once you have taken up the spiritual life, fight as long as there is any life in you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-brave-be-strong-be-fearless-once-you-have-taken-up-the-spiritual/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Sincerity is the foundation of the spiritual life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/sincerity-is-the-foundation-of-the-spiritual-life/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-anyone-makes-himself-his-own-master-in-the-spiritual-life-he-makes/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility and its power in the spiritual life. For the beginning of humility is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-almost-impossible-to-overestimate-the-value-of-true-humility/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Here we discover a great error, and one so much the more injurious as it is the less guarded against. Many who aspire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-scupoli/here-we-discover-a-great-error-and-one-so-much-the-more-injurious-as/) [Lorenzo Scupoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-scupoli/) ## More by D. A. Carson > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [God's wrath is not an implacable, blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/god-s-wrath-is-not-an-implacable-blind-rage-however-emotional-it-may/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Others have questions about how it is that God and human beings can both be speaking through the one document such that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/others-have-questions-about-how-it-is-that-god-and-human-beings-can/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The New Testament writers did not invent a doctrine of Scripture they inherited it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-new-testament-writers-did-not-invent-a-doctrine-of-scripture-they/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The Bible is not interested in precisionism unless the context indicates that precision is particularly important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-bible-is-not-interested-in-precisionism-unless-the-context/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Effectiveness in teaching the Bible is purchased at the price of much study, some of it lonely, all of it tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/effectiveness-in-teaching-the-bible-is-purchased-at-the-price-of-much/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Do you wish to see God's love? Look at the cross. Do you wish to see God's wrath? Look at the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/do-you-wish-to-see-god-s-love-look-at-the-cross-do-you-wish-to-see/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-focuses-on-the-fact-that-some/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Many of us in our praying are like nasty little boys who ring front door bells and run away before anyone answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/many-of-us-in-our-praying-are-like-nasty-little-boys-who-ring-front/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/christians-have-learned-that-when-there-seems-to-be-no-other-evidence/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Love the church because Jesus loves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/love-the-church-because-jesus-loves-it/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > ["Biblical theology" refers to something more precise than theology that is faithful to the Bible. It might be helpful to draw a contrast: at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/biblical-theology-refers-to-something-more-precise-than-theology-that/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We treat the Bible, not as if it's a magic book that has to be handled like a piece of abracadabra, make sure it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/we-treat-the-bible-not-as-if-it-s-a-magic-book-that-has-to-be-handled/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Most good evangelical Study Bibles have more in common than people sometimes realize. All of them are committed to explaining the Bible to lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/most-good-evangelical-study-bibles-have-more-in-common-than-people/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Not all Scripture is propositional, some of it is asking questions, some of it's rhetorical, but where Scripture is stating something, asserting something, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/not-all-scripture-is-propositional-some-of-it-is-asking-questions/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) [Explore all 117 D. A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) W.J. Turner > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [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/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We do not drift into spiritual life or disciplined prayer. We will not grow in prayer unless we plan to pray.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D. A. 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