--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Moses spent forty years thinking he was…" description: "\"Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.\" — Dwi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/dwight-l-moody-1085_can-do_moses-spent-forty-years-thinking-he-was_1342530.png" --- # Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty… ![“Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.” quote by Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/dwight-l-moody-1085_can-do_moses-spent-forty-years-thinking-he-was_1342530.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/dwight-l-moody-1085_can-do_moses-spent-forty-years-thinking-he-was_1342530.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/dwight-l-moody-1085_can-do_moses-spent-forty-years-thinking-he-was_1342530.png) > “Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.” [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moses' life shows transformation from self‑importance to humility and divine purpose. **In simple terms:** Moses learned he was nothing, then did great things. Key Takeaway Embrace humility to discover purpose. Themes humility spiritual growth purpose Mood inspirational reflective Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - prayer - reflection - volunteering Key Concepts theology personal development Questions to Reflect On - What does humility mean to you? - How can you serve others without seeking glory? A Different Perspective Humility may be hard to accept. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-inspirational/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Moses spent forty years in the king's palace thinking that he was somebody; then he lived forty years in the wilderness finding out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/moses-spent-forty-years-in-the-king-s-palace-thinking-that-he-was/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [“Here I am, on the outskirts of Oxford University, a seat of learning for almost one thousand years, discovering people whose names have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-letchford/here-i-am-on-the-outskirts-of-oxford-university-a-seat-of-learning/) Lois Letchford > [“I have been for forty years discovering that the queen of all colors was black.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/i-have-been-for-forty-years-discovering-that-the-queen-of-all-colors/) [Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/) > [“I've been 40 years discovering that the queen of all colors was black.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/i-ve-been-40-years-discovering-that-the-queen-of-all-colors-was-black/) [Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/) > [I've been forty years discovering that the queen of all colors is black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-ve-been-forty-years-discovering-that-the-queen-of-all-colors-is/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [I don't believe in this fairy tale of staying together for ever. Ten years with somebody is enough. In ten years, you can give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-don-t-believe-in-this-fairy-tale-of-staying-together-for-ever-ten/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [If Gamergate had happened to somebody else, years earlier, I probably would've been on the wrong side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-quinn/if-gamergate-had-happened-to-somebody-else-years-earlier-i-probably/) [Zoe Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-quinn/) > [A couple of words that somebody said to somebody many years ago is not who they are today. You regret it, you apologize, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-taylor/a-couple-of-words-that-somebody-said-to-somebody-many-years-ago-is/) [Diana Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-taylor/) > [For once I've met somebody, the years cannot erase... The memory of a pleasant word or of a friendly face...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-steiner-rice/for-once-i-ve-met-somebody-the-years-cannot-erase-the-memory-of-a/) [Helen Steiner Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-steiner-rice/) > [“Maybe you have to know anybody awful well to love them but when you have hated somebody for forty-three years you will know them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/maybe-you-have-to-know-anybody-awful-well-to-love-them-but-when-you/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [When you're with somebody for some years, sometimes you need a break from 'em. You grow in different directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-jon/when-you-re-with-somebody-for-some-years-sometimes-you-need-a-break-2/) [Lil Jon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-jon/) > [When the Spirit came to Moses, the plagues came upon Egypt, and he had power to destroy men's lives; when the Spirit came upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/when-the-spirit-came-to-moses-the-plagues-came-upon-egypt-and-he-had/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Many of the Bible characters fell just in the things in which they were thought to be strongest. Moses failed in his humility, Abraham…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/many-of-the-bible-characters-fell-just-in-the-things-in-which-they/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [More interesting than thinking about what's possible in 10 years is thinking what's possible now but that no one has built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/more-interesting-than-thinking-about-what-s-possible-in-10-years-is/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [Women's intuition is the result of millions of years of not thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-hughes/women-s-intuition-is-the-result-of-millions-of-years-of-not-thinking/) [Rupert Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-hughes/) ## More by Dwight L. Moody > [Christ never preached any funeral sermons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/christ-never-preached-any-funeral-sermons/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [What makes the Dead Sea dead? Because it is all the time receiving, never giving out anything. Why is it that many Christians are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/what-makes-the-dead-sea-dead-because-it-is-all-the-time-receiving/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Many a professing Christian is a stumbling-block because his worship is divided. On Sunday he worships God; on weekdays God has little or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/many-a-professing-christian-is-a-stumbling-block-because-his-worship/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [I never yet have known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord's people were divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-never-yet-have-known-the-spirit-of-god-to-work-where-the-lord-s/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-believe-many-a-man-is-praying-to-god-to-fill-him-when-he-is-full/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If Jesus bore the cross, and died on it for me, ought I not to be willing to take it up for Him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-jesus-bore-the-cross-and-died-on-it-for-me-ought-i-not-to-be/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [The voice of sin is loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/the-voice-of-sin-is-loud-but-the-voice-of-forgiveness-is-louder/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [To be tempted is not to sin. The strongest attacks are made on the strongest forts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/to-be-tempted-is-not-to-sin-the-strongest-attacks-are-made-on-the/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it that you have more business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-you-have-so-much-business-to-attend-to-that-you-have-no-time-to/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [“God has left us down here to shine. We are not here to buy and sell and get gain, to accumulate wealth, to acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/god-has-left-us-down-here-to-shine-we-are-not-here-to-buy-and-sell/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Right now I'm having so much trouble with D.L. Moody that I don't have time to find fault with the other fellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/right-now-i-m-having-so-much-trouble-with-d-l-moody-that-i-don-t-have/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [There is no better evangelist in the world than the Holy Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/there-is-no-better-evangelist-in-the-world-than-the-holy-spirit/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Faith makes all things possible. Love makes them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/faith-makes-all-things-possible-love-makes-them-easy/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Excuses are the cradle ... that Satan rocks men off to sleep in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/excuses-are-the-cradle-that-satan-rocks-men-off-to-sleep-in/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If you do not feel a fervent love and profound pity for humanity, be assured that the gift of Christian eloquence has been denied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-you-do-not-feel-a-fervent-love-and-profound-pity-for-humanity-be/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) [Explore all 295 Dwight L. Moody quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dwight L. 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