--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive…" description: "\"“Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and never easy to explain.”\" — David Ebershoff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/david-ebershoff-29756_faith_faith-i-tell-them-is-a-mystery-elusive-t_1916024.png" --- # Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and… ![“Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and never easy to explain.” quote by David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/david-ebershoff-29756_faith_faith-i-tell-them-is-a-mystery-elusive-t_1916024.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/david-ebershoff-29756_faith_faith-i-tell-them-is-a-mystery-elusive-t_1916024.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/david-ebershoff-29756_faith_faith-i-tell-them-is-a-mystery-elusive-t_1916024.png) > ““Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and never easy to explain.”” [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith is a complex, hard‑to‑explain mystery for many. **In simple terms:** Faith is mysterious and difficult to define. Key Takeaway Accept that faith may remain ambiguous. Themes spirituality mystery belief Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal crises - interfaith dialogue - seeking purpose Key Concepts existentialism faith experience Questions to Reflect On - How does mystery affect your belief? - Can faith be explained logically? A Different Perspective Not all find comfort in ambiguity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) ## Related quotes > [“Each one of us is the custodian of an inner world that we carry around with us. Now, other people can glimpse it from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/each-one-of-us-is-the-custodian-of-an-inner-world-that-we-carry/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [“Those are the facts. It's easy to believe in facts, my dear. To believe in the story you need faith. Tell me the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/those-are-the-facts-it-s-easy-to-believe-in-facts-my-dear-to-believe/) [Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/) > [“Faith cannot tell us who is right and who is wrong, because each will simply assert that his or her faith is the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/faith-cannot-tell-us-who-is-right-and-who-is-wrong-because-each-will/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Matthew 17:20 He replied, Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus/matthew-17-20-he-replied-because-you-have-so-little-faith-i-tell-you/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus/) > [Faith will tell us Christ is present, When our human senses fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/faith-will-tell-us-christ-is-present-when-our-human-senses-fail/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“voice of fear will list all the reasons you should stay in the same job, the same bad relationship. The voice of faith will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/voice-of-fear-will-list-all-the-reasons-you-should-stay-in-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Our faith may tell us “everything happens for a reason” and that our loss is all a part of a “greater plan,” but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-hugstad/our-faith-may-tell-us-everything-happens-for-a-reason-and-that-our/) Kristi Hugstad > [“If you believe it, is it real, or is it real because you believe it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-mckevitt/if-you-believe-it-is-it-real-or-is-it-real-because-you-believe-it/) Virginia McKevitt > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Anybody can direct a picture once they know the fundamentals. Directing is not a mystery, it's not an art. The main thing about directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/anybody-can-direct-a-picture-once-they-know-the-fundamentals/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) > [The greatest mystery in life is not life itself, but death. Death is the culmination of life, the ultimate blossoming of life. In death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-greatest-mystery-in-life-is-not-life-itself-but-death-death-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“The mystery of the world is revealed only to the person who can look upon the material world with his physical eyes and simultaneously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/the-mystery-of-the-world-is-revealed-only-to-the-person-who-can-look/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“Exactly what the great white eats in an emergency is a mystery ichthyologists solved by the late twentieth century after decades of investigation: whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuzzo/exactly-what-the-great-white-eats-in-an-emergency-is-a-mystery/) [Michael Capuzzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuzzo/) > [“The truth is heavier than a sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/the-truth-is-heavier-than-a-sword/) [Naiyem Chowdhury Rony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/) ## More by David Ebershoff > [Isn't it interesting what a stranger can offer? A little wisdom, a little mercy, a little love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/isn-t-it-interesting-what-a-stranger-can-offer-a-little-wisdom-a/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“There is nothing more alarming to a boy than seeing a mother, or a father, buckling. It says to him that all will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/there-is-nothing-more-alarming-to-a-boy-than-seeing-a-mother-or-a/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“Even though she was sitting next to the man, she couldn't believe he had noticed her. It felt to her as if no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/even-though-she-was-sitting-next-to-the-man-she-couldn-t-believe-he/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“My duty, I know, is to lead. I cannot offer an array of options. I must offer a long but narrow path to Salvation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/my-duty-i-know-is-to-lead-i-cannot-offer-an-array-of-options-i-must/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“I suppose my greatest disappointment has been realizing my father, like Joseph and Brigham before him, tried to shroud his passions in the mantle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/i-suppose-my-greatest-disappointment-has-been-realizing-my-father/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [I trust you have seen the ocean. If you have, then you have witnessed the divine. How barren the ground is in comparison! If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/i-trust-you-have-seen-the-ocean-if-you-have-then-you-have-witnessed/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [Last year when my grandma fell and broke her hip she couldn't paint her toenails anymore. So my grandpa started doing it for her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/last-year-when-my-grandma-fell-and-broke-her-hip-she-couldn-t-paint/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“A final note on numbers: My research shows Ann Eliza was most likely Brigham's 52 of 55 wives. As far as I can tell,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/a-final-note-on-numbers-my-research-shows-ann-eliza-was-most-likely/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [The agony of martyrdom is almost too much to bear. In the early hours, when the loss is fresh, there is no comfort in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/the-agony-of-martyrdom-is-almost-too-much-to-bear-in-the-early-hours/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“When my mom pulled the trigger my dad had a full house, three fives and a pair of ducks. He was all in. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/when-my-mom-pulled-the-trigger-my-dad-had-a-full-house-three-fives/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“Do you know what I miss most about Rosemary? Simply knowing she was there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/do-you-know-what-i-miss-most-about-rosemary-simply-knowing-she-was/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“Anna's voice wasn't a beautiful voice - rough edged and sorrowful, a bit used, somehow male and female at once. Yet it had more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/anna-s-voice-wasn-t-a-beautiful-voice-rough-edged-and-sorrowful-a-bit/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“Isn't a gay Mormon like an oxymoron?' 'Do I look like an oxymoron to you?' 'An oxymormon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/isn-t-a-gay-mormon-like-an-oxymoron-do-i-look-like-an-oxymoron-to-you/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [I must say a few words about memory. It is full of holes. If you were to lay it out upon a table, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/i-must-say-a-few-words-about-memory-it-is-full-of-holes-if-you-were/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) > [“Under what circumstances does such outrage thrive? The territory of Utah, glorious as it may be, spiked by granite peaks and red jasper rocks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ebershoff/under-what-circumstances-does-such-outrage-thrive-the-territory-of/) [David Ebershoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) [Explore all 17 David Ebershoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ebershoff/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [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/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. 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