--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As Jonathan Edwards observed a long time…" description: "\"“As Jonathan Edwards observed a long time ago, we act on our strongest motive. If our strongest motive, our deepest desire, is to know God, it will gen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/david-f-wells-27731_long-time_as-jonathan-edwards-observed-a-long-time_929658.jpg" --- # As Jonathan Edwards observed a long time ago, we act on… ![“As Jonathan Edwards observed a long time ago, we act on our strongest motive. If our strongest motive, our deepest desire, is to know God, it will generate the discipline that we need to pursue this, because we will want to know God more than anything else. If this is not our strongest motive, we…” quote by David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/david-f-wells-27731_long-time_as-jonathan-edwards-observed-a-long-time_929658.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/david-f-wells-27731_long-time_as-jonathan-edwards-observed-a-long-time_929658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/david-f-wells-27731_long-time_as-jonathan-edwards-observed-a-long-time_929658.jpg) > ““As Jonathan Edwards observed a long time ago, we act on our strongest motive. If our strongest motive, our deepest desire, is to know God, it will generate the discipline that we need to pursue this, because we will want to know God more than anything else. If this is not our strongest motive, we will find ourselves with multiple, alternative, and competing foci. These will inevitably distract us.”” [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our deepest desire shapes our focus; if knowing God is paramount, it drives disciplined pursuit, otherwise competing motives cause distraction. **In simple terms:** Strongest desire determines focus and discipline. Key Takeaway Align your core desire with your goals. Themes spirituality motivation focus discipline Mood inspirational thoughtful motivational Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - career planning - spiritual practice - personal development - education Key Concepts goal hierarchy intrinsic motivation distraction management Questions to Reflect On - What is your strongest motive right now? - How can you prioritize it over distractions? A Different Perspective If the deepest desire is unclear, multiple motives can dilute effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deepest Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deepest-desire/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jonathan-edwards/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time-ago/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Motive Deepest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive-deepest-1503658/) [Motive Strongest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive-strongest-1503659/) [Strongest Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongest-motive-1503657/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Because we are saturated with life, because we are human, our strongest motive is life, humanity; and the stronger the motive back of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/because-we-are-saturated-with-life-because-we-are-human-our-strongest/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We are found by him. The search for God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-do-not-find-god-as-a-result-of-our-search-for-him-we-are-found-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“What did Jonathan Edwards mean in sending word to his wife that their union was “uncommon”? Was it that? And how was a union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wm-mcclendon-jr/what-did-jonathan-edwards-mean-in-sending-word-to-his-wife-that-their/) [James Wm. McClendon Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wm-mcclendon-jr/) > [Jonathan Edwards developed a Calvinistic strand of the doctrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-developed-a-calvinistic-strand-of-the-doctrine/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ I recommend Doug Sweeney's recent book \[Jonathan\] Edwards the Exegete (Oxford University Press, 2015), which is a terrific treatment of the way in which… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/i-recommend-doug-sweeney-s-recent-book-jonathan-edwards-the-exegete/) [Oliver D. 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I'm not talking about theologian; I'm talking about mind and everybody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/jonathan-edwards-is-without-a-doubt-the-most-brilliant-mind-america/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [ How many people in the pews know that \[ Jonathan Edwards\] is both a founder of evangelicalism and, say, an idealist who denied that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/how-many-people-in-the-pews-know-that-jonathan-edwards-is-both-a/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ Here is the interesting twist:\[McLeod\] Campbell came to his views through reading Jonathan Edwards who suggested at one point in his ruminations on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/here-is-the-interesting-twist-mcleod-campbell-came-to-his-views/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ \[Jonathan\] Edwards definitely shows up in the book \[Saving Calvinism\]. He appears as one of the interlocutors in the chapter on free will, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-definitely-shows-up-in-the-book-saving-calvinism-he/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ To my mind \[ Jonathan Edwards\] is an interesting figure because he is both a canonical Reformed thinker, and yet also someone that pushed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/to-my-mind-jonathan-edwards-is-an-interesting-figure-because-he-is/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [“Before the war, a white man named Jonathan Edwards came to Stockbridge to teach my people about sin, but I doubt very much he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-clare/before-the-war-a-white-man-named-jonathan-edwards-came-to-stockbridge/) [Pamela Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-clare/) > [“Jonathan Edwards, the dear old soul, who, if his doctrine is true, is now in heaven rubbing his holy hands with glee, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/jonathan-edwards-the-dear-old-soul-who-if-his-doctrine-is-true-is-now/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [I don't have any objection to phenomena, per se. I think Jonathan Edwards has adequately addressed the issues of phenomena in revival...However, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/i-don-t-have-any-objection-to-phenomena-per-se-i-think-jonathan/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) ## More by David F. Wells > [In our postmodern culture which is TV dominated, image sensitive, and morally vacuous, personality is everything and character is increasingly irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/in-our-postmodern-culture-which-is-tv-dominated-image-sensitive-and/) [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [“Descartes argued “I think, therefore I am,” and people after Freud translated that into the modern vernacular by saying, “I feel, therefore I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/descartes-argued-i-think-therefore-i-am-and-people-after-freud/) [David F. 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Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [What has to be forgiven is not just what we do but who we are, not just our sinning but our sinfulness, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/what-has-to-be-forgiven-is-not-just-what-we-do-but-who-we-are-not/) [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [“In fact, when we listen to the church today, at least in the West, we are often left with impression that Christianity actually has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/in-fact-when-we-listen-to-the-church-today-at-least-in-the-west-we/) [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [Evil by its very nature opposes the purposes of God, but God, in his sovereignty, can make even this evil serve his purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/evil-by-its-very-nature-opposes-the-purposes-of-god-but-god-in-his/) [David F. 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