--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God picks us up where we are, not where…" description: "\"God picks us up where we are, not where we should have been\" — Douglas Wilson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png" --- # God picks us up where we are, not where we should have been ![“God picks us up where we are, not where we should have been” quote by Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png) > “God picks us up where we are, not where we should have been” [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine assistance meets people where they currently stand, not where they ought to be, emphasizing grace. **In simple terms:** God helps us as we are now. Key Takeaway Trust in divine guidance despite imperfections. Themes faith grace humility Mood hopeful reflective Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - personal crises - addiction recovery - career setbacks - health challenges Key Concepts theology spiritual growth divine providence Questions to Reflect On - In what ways can you accept help while still acting? - How does this view affect personal accountability? A Different Perspective Human effort still required; reliance on faith may discourage personal responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ## Related quotes > [God picks you up. You don't pick yourself up. You're the one who knocked you down or even if somebody else knocked you down,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/god-picks-you-up-you-don-t-pick-yourself-up-you-re-the-one-who/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [When God picks out a man and speaks to him, it is to engage him in a work, an action. Nowhere in Scripture do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/when-god-picks-out-a-man-and-speaks-to-him-it-is-to-engage-him-in-a/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [God works through men. I see nowhere in the Word where God picks an organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawson-trotman/god-works-through-men-i-see-nowhere-in-the-word-where-god-picks-an/) [Dawson Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawson-trotman/) > [I don't understand why god picks who he's gonna snatch out. Before you hit the ground I hope you passed out. I wish I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-grae/i-don-t-understand-why-god-picks-who-he-s-gonna-snatch-out-before-you/) [Jean Grae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-grae/) > [Sometimes God picks you up and tells you, "You've been messing around now. You're going to have to stop this, stop that, but I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/sometimes-god-picks-you-up-and-tells-you-you-ve-been-messing-around/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Start believing that things are going to change for the better. Not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-believing-that-things-are-going-to-change-for-the-better-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [God's power under us, in us, surging through us, is exactly what turns dependence into unforgettable experiences of completeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-wilkinson/god-s-power-under-us-in-us-surging-through-us-is-exactly-what-turns/) [Bruce Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-wilkinson/) > [You may not have the approval of someone 'important,' but you have the favor of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-may-not-have-the-approval-of-someone-important-but-you-have-the/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [God has a plan for all of us, but He expects us to do our share of the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-pearl/god-has-a-plan-for-all-of-us-but-he-expects-us-to-do-our-share-of-the/) [Minnie Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-pearl/) > [When things are going bad that does not mean God has stopped doing good It's mean He is shifting things around you to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christianquotes/when-things-are-going-bad-that-does-not-mean-god-has-stopped-doing/) ChristianQuotes > [When a person partners with God in delivering a miracle to another person, they have done what they were supposed to do; God can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-wilkinson/when-a-person-partners-with-god-in-delivering-a-miracle-to-another/) [Bruce Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-wilkinson/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [If God is first, and you kind of center everything else around Him being the main focal point, you really can make decisions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj-michalka/if-god-is-first-and-you-kind-of-center-everything-else-around-him/) [AJ Michalka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj-michalka/) ## More by Douglas Wilson > [“The ground for the necessity of Christian schools lies in this very thing, that no fact can be known unless it be known in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/the-ground-for-the-necessity-of-christian-schools-lies-in-this-very/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [Throughout the country, I see the same design problems and solutions over and over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/throughout-the-country-i-see-the-same-design-problems-and-solutions/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“You do not create ex nihilo. You rearrange and recombine. You are the same old flour and eggs in search of a new recipe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/you-do-not-create-ex-nihilo-you-rearrange-and-recombine-you-are-the/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“Sensory experience should not be draped on top of the story as sort of a last-minute decoration. Done right, it is woven into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/sensory-experience-should-not-be-draped-on-top-of-the-story-as-sort/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“When the travesties scattered throughout our modern art museums are set alongside the glories of ancient Greece, the Christian heart should swell with pride.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/when-the-travesties-scattered-throughout-our-modern-art-museums-are/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [Immodest and attractive is easy. 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Kids just got here—they are still figuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/this-is-why-stories-like-this-with-great-evils-in-them-are-necessary/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [As you read, allow your reading to cluster around your interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/as-you-read-allow-your-reading-to-cluster-around-your-interests/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“Every culture has blasphemy laws. They are not always called that, but no society allows citizens to rail against the reigning deity. In our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/every-culture-has-blasphemy-laws-they-are-not-always-called-that-but/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“We sometimes do not appreciate the magnitude of the problem here. How could the eternal Word of the eternal Father take on limits? How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/we-sometimes-do-not-appreciate-the-magnitude-of-the-problem-here-how/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“The fulfillment of the cultural mandate involves hard work, and men need to be hard in order to do the work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/the-fulfillment-of-the-cultural-mandate-involves-hard-work-and-men/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“There is no virtue or vice in a transitive verb, everything depends on the direct object. 'I LOVE' could be virtuous or not -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/there-is-no-virtue-or-vice-in-a-transitive-verb-everything-depends-on/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [“We are like fruitflies, measuring everything in terms of our own lifespan. But since our lifespans are so short, our perspective is entirely wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/we-are-like-fruitflies-measuring-everything-in-terms-of-our-own/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [How would you describe the spiritual aroma of your home? The source of this aroma is the relationship between husband and wife. Many can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/how-would-you-describe-the-spiritual-aroma-of-your-home-the-source-of/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) [Explore all 154 Douglas Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God picks us up where we are, not where we should have been", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Wilson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-we-should-have-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-we-should-have-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/douglas-wilson-2686_god_god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-w_278728.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God picks us up where we are, not where we should have been” — Douglas Wilson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Wilson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God picks us up where we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-we-should-have-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/god-picks-us-up-where-we-are-not-where-we-should-have-been/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```