--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God never witholds from His child that…" description: "\"God never witholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good. God's refusals are always merciful -- \"severe mercies\" at times but mercies..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/elisabeth-elliot-1209_children_god-never-witholds-from-his-child-that-w_2323451.jpg" --- # God never witholds from His child that which His love and… ![“God never witholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good. God's refusals are always merciful -- "severe mercies" at times but mercies all the same. God never denies us our hearts desire except to give us something better.” quote by Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/elisabeth-elliot-1209_children_god-never-witholds-from-his-child-that-w_2323451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/elisabeth-elliot-1209_children_god-never-witholds-from-his-child-that-w_2323451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/elisabeth-elliot-1209_children_god-never-witholds-from-his-child-that-w_2323451.jpg) > “God never witholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good. God's refusals are always merciful -- "severe mercies" at times but mercies all the same. God never denies us our hearts desire except to give us something better.” [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God’s refusals are actually merciful redirections toward greater good, even when they seem severe. **In simple terms:** God’s no’s are merciful redirections. Key Takeaway Trust that denied desires may lead to better outcomes. Themes faith trust divine wisdom patience Mood hopeful reflective Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - career decisions - relationship choices - health challenges Key Concepts theology spiritual growth redirection Questions to Reflect On - How might a perceived rejection be a hidden blessing? - What does “severe mercies” mean to you? A Different Perspective God’s plan may be unclear, causing anxiety and doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [God Denies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-denies-661510/) [God Refusals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-refusals-3843697/) [Good god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-god/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hearts desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-desire/) [His love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-wisdom/) [Mercies God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercies-god-513758/) [Merciful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merciful/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Refusal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refusal/) [Refusals Merciful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refusals-merciful-5562673/) [Something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-better/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [God never denies us our hearts desire except to give us something better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/god-never-denies-us-our-hearts-desire-except-to-give-us-something/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Sometimes God's refusals are His mercies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/sometimes-god-s-refusals-are-his-mercies/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Infantile people complain and say that God is cruel or that there is no God. Mature people, however, know that there is wisdom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/infantile-people-complain-and-say-that-god-is-cruel-or-that-there-is/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [In His tender mercies, God has an incredible capacity to love the unlovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/in-his-tender-mercies-god-has-an-incredible-capacity-to-love-the/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“his brain was going, too, but he didn’t know it. Infinite are the mercies of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/his-brain-was-going-too-but-he-didn-t-know-it-infinite-are-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Take notice not only of the mercies of God, but of God in the mercies. Mercies are never so savoury as when they savour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-venning/take-notice-not-only-of-the-mercies-of-god-but-of-god-in-the-mercies/) [Ralph Venning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-venning/) > [How did the atheist get his idea of that God whom he denies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/how-did-the-atheist-get-his-idea-of-that-god-whom-he-denies/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Of two men who have no experience of God, he who denies him is perhaps nearer to him than the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/of-two-men-who-have-no-experience-of-god-he-who-denies-him-is-perhaps/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Loving the world destroys our relationship with God, it denies our faith in God, and it discounts our future with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/loving-the-world-destroys-our-relationship-with-god-it-denies-our/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [Every man who loses everlasting life rejects it himself. God denies it not to him-he will not come that he may have life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/every-man-who-loses-everlasting-life-rejects-it-himself-god-denies-it/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Sometimes the greatest lessons come not from the roads we take, but from the moments we are stopped when our journeys are interrupted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hagir-elsheikh/sometimes-the-greatest-lessons-come-not-from-the-roads-we-take-but/) [Hagir Elsheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hagir-elsheikh/) > [Material power that is not counterbalanced by adequate spiritual power, that is, by love and wisdom, is a curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-j-toynbee/material-power-that-is-not-counterbalanced-by-adequate-spiritual/) [Arnold J. Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-j-toynbee/) > [I put all my faith into my life; I put only my humble, love, and wisdom into my works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uniique-styles-randxom/i-put-all-my-faith-into-my-life-i-put-only-my-humble-love-and-wisdom/) [Uniique Styles Randxom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uniique-styles-randxom/) > [Calmly in the precious present, be a light for love and wisdom in the window on your world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-flynn/calmly-in-the-precious-present-be-a-light-for-love-and-wisdom-in-the/) [Kevin Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-flynn/) > [“Then it happened. One night as the rain beat on the slanted kitchen roof a great spirit slipped forever into my life. I held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/then-it-happened-one-night-as-the-rain-beat-on-the-slanted-kitchen/) [John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/) ## More by Elisabeth Elliot > [All our problems are theological ones, William Temple said. All of them have to do with our relationship to God and his to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/all-our-problems-are-theological-ones-william-temple-said-all-of-them/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/discipline-for-the-christian-begins-with-the-body-we-have-only-one-it/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [It seems disrespectful to me to see ladies in church in very short skirts or skimpy, sleeveless tops. I would imagine that it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-seems-disrespectful-to-me-to-see-ladies-in-church-in-very-short/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The deepest lessons come out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-deepest-lessons-come-out-of-the-deepest-waters-and-the-hottest/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Everything if given to God can become your gateway to joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/everything-if-given-to-god-can-become-your-gateway-to-joy/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Lead me, Lord, to the Rock that is higher than I. Let me hear your word, give me grace to obey, to build steadily,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/lead-me-lord-to-the-rock-that-is-higher-than-i-let-me-hear-your-word/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Experience had quickly taught her that she could not survive the storms without the anchor of the constraining love of Christ and what she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/experience-had-quickly-taught-her-that-she-could-not-survive-the/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The pain of loneliness is one way in which he wants to get our attention. We may be earnestly desiring to be obedient and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-pain-of-loneliness-is-one-way-in-which-he-wants-to-get-our/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“If men and women were surer of their God there would be more genuine manliness, womanliness, and godliness in the world, and a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/if-men-and-women-were-surer-of-their-god-there-would-be-more-genuine/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [I believe with all my heart God's Story has a happy ending. . . But not yet, not necessarily yet. It takes faith to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-believe-with-all-my-heart-god-s-story-has-a-happy-ending-but-not/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-do-know-that-waiting-on-god-requires-the-willingness-to-bear/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“What do women want today? What do men want? I mean, deep down. What do they really want? If ‘times’ have changed, have human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/what-do-women-want-today-what-do-men-want-i-mean-deep-down-what-do/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [God will never disappoint us… If deep in our hearts we suspect that God does not love us and cannot manage our affairs as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/god-will-never-disappoint-us-if-deep-in-our-hearts-we-suspect-that/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Muddled thinking inevitably results in muddled living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/muddled-thinking-inevitably-results-in-muddled-living/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The world cries for men who are strong--strong in conviction, strong to lead, to stand, to suffer. I pray that you will be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-world-cries-for-men-who-are-strong-strong-in-conviction-strong-to/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) [Explore all 273 Elisabeth Elliot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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