--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I loved the fact that it wasn't my…" description: "\"I loved the fact that it wasn't my responsibility to change somebody, that it was God's, that my part was just to communicate love and approval.\" — Don..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/donald-miller-607_approval_i-loved-the-fact-that-it-wasn-t-my-respo_1063252.png" --- # I loved the fact that it wasn't my responsibility to… ![“I loved the fact that it wasn't my responsibility to change somebody, that it was God's, that my part was just to communicate love and approval.” quote by Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/donald-miller-607_approval_i-loved-the-fact-that-it-wasn-t-my-respo_1063252.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/donald-miller-607_approval_i-loved-the-fact-that-it-wasn-t-my-respo_1063252.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/donald-miller-607_approval_i-loved-the-fact-that-it-wasn-t-my-respo_1063252.png) > “I loved the fact that it wasn't my responsibility to change somebody, that it was God's, that my part was just to communicate love and approval.” [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Responsibility for others' change lies with a higher power; one's role is to offer love and approval, not to fix them. **In simple terms:** Let others grow; you give love. Key Takeaway Offer love, let others change themselves. Themes spirituality relationships boundaries Mood empathetic thoughtful Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - giving encouragement - practicing non‑attachment - listening without judgment - expressing appreciation - maintaining healthy boundaries Key Concepts theology psychology of support personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance support with respecting autonomy? - What does love look like without trying to change? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on external control may neglect personal agency and mutual responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [“I’m not going to apologize for what I do anymore, and I’m not going to be afraid of losing your love or approval.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-what-i-do-anymore-and-i-m-not-going-to/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [You know that your toddler needed love and approval but he often seemed not to care whether he got it or not and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-leach/you-know-that-your-toddler-needed-love-and-approval-but-he-often/) [Penelope Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-leach/) > [Our human condition makes us tend to share only the best of ourselves, because we are always searching for love and approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/our-human-condition-makes-us-tend-to-share-only-the-best-of-ourselves/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“I suddenly felt entirely weak, unable, and inadequate to bridge the gap between myself and these men. Then I realized I didn't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yankoski/i-suddenly-felt-entirely-weak-unable-and-inadequate-to-bridge-the-gap/) [Mike Yankoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yankoski/) > [The majority of people who get in a relationship immediately after a breakup- do it to fulfill their own need for Love, approval &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jsv/the-majority-of-people-who-get-in-a-relationship-immediately-after-a/) [JSV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jsv/) > [I try to win the love and approval of strangers, since it didn't work with my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-gold/i-try-to-win-the-love-and-approval-of-strangers-since-it-didn-t-work/) [Judy Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-gold/) > [Always speak and think kindly about yourself, because your soul needs your love and approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/always-speak-and-think-kindly-about-yourself-because-your-soul-needs/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [Definitely a plus when the ones you love give their approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/definitely-a-plus-when-the-ones-you-love-give-their-approval/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The more you communicate love in your relationship, you breathe new life into it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bourgeret/the-more-you-communicate-love-in-your-relationship-you-breathe-new/) [Elizabeth Bourgeret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bourgeret/) > [I love to communicate, and I love music. 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Smile because you were able to meet him and get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-don-t-cry-over-it-he-wouldn-t-want-you-to-cry-over-him-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to communicate anything other than love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/i-don-t-want-to-communicate-anything-other-than-love/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“I’ll make a goofy face at you. It’s just another stunning example of my ability to communicate “I love you” without actually using words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-ll-make-a-goofy-face-at-you-it-s-just-another-stunning-example-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I love you... I love you without needing you, I love you without wanting you. I love you for being you. Because, you see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-s-dudley/i-love-you-i-love-you-without-needing-you-i-love-you-without-wanting/) Israel S. Dudley ## More by Donald Miller > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I think each of us can, through our writing, discover our super power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-think-each-of-us-can-through-our-writing-discover-our-super-power/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [If you don't feel free and be yourself, you can't connect. Find people who accept your quirks. They'll heal your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/if-you-don-t-feel-free-and-be-yourself-you-can-t-connect-find-people/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [And so I have come to understand that strength, inner strength, comes from receiving love as much as it comes from giving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-so-i-have-come-to-understand-that-strength-inner-strength-comes/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“Humans, as a species, are constantly, and in every way, comparing themselves to one another, which, given the brief nature of their existence, seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/humans-as-a-species-are-constantly-and-in-every-way-comparing/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“alone, lonely, and loneliness are three of the most powerful words in the English language... 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It was given to you by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/don-t-let-go-of-your-strength-or-your-beauty-it-was-given-to-you-by/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [There's a lot of letters, and a lot of people come say "hi" at book signings, but I'm amazed at how normal everybody is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-a-lot-of-letters-and-a-lot-of-people-come-say-hi-at-book/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I am something of a recluse by nature. I am that cordless screwdriver that has to charge for twenty hours to earn ten minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-am-something-of-a-recluse-by-nature-i-am-that-cordless-screwdriver/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [The most important thing that happens within Christian spirituality is when a person falls in love with Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/the-most-important-thing-that-happens-within-christian-spirituality/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Every day you live is a page. Every year, a chapter. Your life, a book. What is it about?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/every-day-you-live-is-a-page-every-year-a-chapter-your-life-a-book/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“And that’s the first time I realized that the idea a character is what he does makes as much sense in life as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-first-time-i-realized-that-the-idea-a-character-is/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) [Explore all 448 Donald Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## More Approval quotes > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Whenever you are too worried about someone else's approval, that person loses respect for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/whenever-you-are-too-worried-about-someone-else-s-approval-that/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? 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