God Quote by Edward Everett Hale
“It sometimes seems easier to trace the great general laws of God's government in the passage of events far from us than in those close around us. We see the shape of those far-off constellations, but we cannot group or set in order that to which our own sun belongs.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Man Who Was Thursday, Edward Everett Hale, 1869
People find it easier to understand distant events than to make sense of their immediate surroundings.
In simple terms: We grasp far‑off patterns better than local ones.
Key Takeaway
Seek clarity in your own circumstances, not just distant examples.
Themes
perception
knowledge
human nature
philosophy
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
essay
philosophical
When to use this quote
- politics
- personal decision‑making
- social movements
- education
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
systems thinking
contextual awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- What local patterns are you overlooking?
- How can you apply distant insights to your own life?
A Different Perspective
Focusing on the familiar can be just as challenging as analyzing the remote.
![“He [Peter after the resurrection] now understood that he and the church were to exercise a transcendent power that did not depend upon having a kingdom or government in any human sense, for it was literally a "God government" in which they were participants (Acts 1:6-8).” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac7/dallas-willard-819_church_he-peter-after-the-resurrection-now-unde_716577.jpg)
![“[I]t is easy to regard the mind and the body as two slaves trained to obey the imperial soul… [I]n this trinity of soul, mind, and body, it is sometimes hard to tell which of the three is at work; and the personality of each of the three parties interferes a good deal with that of each of the…” quote by Edward Everett Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/22e/edward-everett-hale-13883_body_i-t-is-easy-to-regard-the-mind-and-the-b_682029.jpg)
