Asks Quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“If we want to read and to pray the prayers of the Bible and especially the Psalms, therefore, we must not ask first what they have to do with us, but what they have to do with Jesus Christ...It does not depend, therefore, on whether the Psalms express adequately that which we feel at a given moment in our heart. If we are to pray aright, perhaps it is quite necessary that we pray contrary to our own heart. Not what we want to pray is important, but what God wants us to pray.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1937
Prayer should align with Jesus' will, not personal desire; true prayer may oppose our own feelings to follow divine purpose.
In simple terms: Pray for God's will, not ours.
Key Takeaway
Seek alignment with divine intent.
Themes
faith
prayer
obedience
spirituality
theology
Mood
humble
contemplative
Type
theological
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- church teaching
- spiritual counseling
- theological study
- daily devotion
Key Concepts
submission
divine will
contrary prayer
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you discern God's will?
- What if your heart resists?
A Different Perspective
It can be emotionally challenging to pray against personal longing.
![“We often pray for Christians in adversity, and it is right that we should do so; but it is even more necessary to pray for Christians in prosperity, for they run the risk of gradually becoming soft, like Hannibal’s soldiers destroyed by Capuan holidays,[31] who lost their valor in their luxury…” quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/767/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_brothers-and-sisters_we-often-pray-for-christians-in-adversit_1704908.jpg)
![“[God] wants you to go home, look at your bucket of seed, and determine in your heart how much you'd like to sow. He wants you to consider thoughtfully your current circumstances, your life, your potential, and your finances. He wants you to involve your family. He wants you to pray about it. And…” quote by Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/90e/andy-stanley-737_buckets_god-wants-you-to-go-home-look-at-your-bu_1048044.jpg)
