--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we are to pray aright, perhaps it is…" description: "\"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 wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_contrary_if-we-are-to-pray-aright-perhaps-it-is-q_3185070.jpg" --- # If we are to pray aright, perhaps it is quite necessary… ![“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. The richness of the Word of God ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart.” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_contrary_if-we-are-to-pray-aright-perhaps-it-is-q_3185070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_contrary_if-we-are-to-pray-aright-perhaps-it-is-q_3185070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_contrary_if-we-are-to-pray-aright-perhaps-it-is-q_3185070.jpg) > “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. The richness of the Word of God ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart.” [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer should align with divine will, not personal desire; true richness comes from God's word, not our own heart. **In simple terms:** Pray according to God's will, not personal wishes. Key Takeaway Seek God's guidance in prayer. Themes faith humility obedience Mood reflective serious Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - church leadership - spiritual formation Key Concepts theology spiritual discipline Questions to Reflect On - How can you discern God's will in prayer? - What habits keep your heart aligned with divine purpose? A Different Perspective Human emotions may resist divine direction, making sincere prayer difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrary/) [Determine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determine/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Necessary Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-pray-1186884/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Our prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-prayers/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Pray Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-important-5790571/) [Pray Richness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-richness-5852346/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-poverty-2232260/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Richness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richness/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want u](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-u/) [Wants Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants-pray-397659/) [Word of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [If we want to read and to pray the prayers of the Bible and especially the Psalms, therefore, we must not ask first what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-we-want-to-read-and-to-pray-the-prayers-of-the-bible-and/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [The richness of God’s Word ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-richness-of-god-s-word-ought-to-determine-our-prayer-not-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [God wants us to pray, and he wants to hear our prayers-not because we are worthy, but because he is merciful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-wants-us-to-pray-and-he-wants-to-hear-our-prayers-not-because-we/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Banish professionalism from our midst, Oh God, an din its place put passionate prayer, poverty of spirit, hunger for God, rigorous study of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/banish-professionalism-from-our-midst-oh-god-an-din-its-place-put/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Have enough faith in the love of God to believe that a short heartfelt prayer is just as good as a long one. Too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmet-fox/have-enough-faith-in-the-love-of-god-to-believe-that-a-short/) [Emmet Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmet-fox/) > [“We often pray for Christians in adversity, and it is right that we should do so; but it is even more necessary to pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/we-often-pray-for-christians-in-adversity-and-it-is-right-that-we/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [Those who pray always are necessary to those who never pray. In our view, the whole question is in the amount of thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/those-who-pray-always-are-necessary-to-those-who-never-pray-in-our/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“It is necessary to pray to Him, with a longing Heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-ramakrishna/it-is-necessary-to-pray-to-him-with-a-longing-heart/) [Sri Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-ramakrishna/) > [Those who always pray are necessary to those who never pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/those-who-always-pray-are-necessary-to-those-who-never-pray/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [We pray when there's nothing else we can do; Jesus wants us to pray before we do anything at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-pray-when-there-s-nothing-else-we-can-do-jesus-wants-us-to-pray/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [ \[God\] wants you to go home, look at your bucket of seed, and determine in your heart how much you'd like to sow. He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/god-wants-you-to-go-home-look-at-your-bucket-of-seed-and-determine-in/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [God wants us to pray that we might have the courage to live before him in ways that are not natural to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-miller/god-wants-us-to-pray-that-we-might-have-the-courage-to-live-before/) [Jack Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-miller/) > [Jesus told his followers not to pray in the public square 'as the hypocrites' do, but rather 'enter into thy closet, and when thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-barrier/jesus-told-his-followers-not-to-pray-in-the-public-square-as-the/) [Ron Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-barrier/) > [If God wants us to pray without ceasing, it is because He wants to answer without ceasing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-a-hartley-jr/if-god-wants-us-to-pray-without-ceasing-it-is-because-he-wants-to/) [Fred A. Hartley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-a-hartley-jr/) > [“I have no guarantee that God will choose to heal Ann, but I know he wants me to pray to that end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-howard-joslin/i-have-no-guarantee-that-god-will-choose-to-heal-ann-but-i-know-he/) [K. Howard Joslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-howard-joslin/) ## More by Dietrich Bonhoeffer > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The church can only defend its own space by fighting, not for space, but for the salvation of the world. Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More Contrary quotes > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [No truly conscious human being sabotages himself - it's impossible, because it's contrary to Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/no-truly-conscious-human-being-sabotages-himself-it-s-impossible/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. 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