--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is when we come to the Lord in our…" description: "\"It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then enables us to love in a way which, without Him, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png" --- # It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our… ![“It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then enables us to love in a way which, without Him, would be absolutely impossible.” quote by Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png) > “It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then enables us to love in a way which, without Him, would be absolutely impossible.” [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. Human helplessness invites divine empowerment, enabling love beyond natural capacity. **In simple terms:** God enables love beyond self. Key Takeaway Seek divine help to love fully. Themes spirituality humility love Mood reverent hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - faith practice - counseling - community service Key Concepts theology dependence Questions to Reflect On - How does divine reliance shape your relationships? - What if divine help feels absent? A Different Perspective Reliance on deity may limit personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Helplessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helplessness/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothingness/) [Powerlessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerlessness/) ## Related quotes > [Action trumps depression. Confronted with a situation in which our feelings of powerlessness are more than just feelings, we choose to fight the odds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mitteldorf/action-trumps-depression-confronted-with-a-situation-in-which-our/) Josh Mitteldorf > [“As a child, the best way to survive was to be still, to submit—to do nothing that might incur further harm. That belief had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-spring/as-a-child-the-best-way-to-survive-was-to-be-still-to-submit-to-do/) [Carolyn Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-spring/) > [“Many psychologists assert that creating systems that cause feelings of powerlessness is one of the most damaging things we can do to fellow human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kim/many-psychologists-assert-that-creating-systems-that-cause-feelings/) [Gene Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kim/) > [When the frustration of my helplessness seemed greatest, I discovered God's grace was more than sufficient. And after my imprisonment, I could look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-the-frustration-of-my-helplessness-seemed-greatest-i-discovered/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [“Powerlessness is an excruciating pain; it is torture insurmountable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/powerlessness-is-an-excruciating-pain-it-is-torture-insurmountable/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Bemoaning my existence wasn’t changing my existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-spring/bemoaning-my-existence-wasn-t-changing-my-existence/) [Carolyn Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-spring/) > [“Power is fortified not just by what it destroys, but also by what it creates. Not just by what it takes, but also by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/power-is-fortified-not-just-by-what-it-destroys-but-also-by-what-it/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Psychological trauma is an affliction of the powerless. At the moment of trauma, the victim is rendered helpless by overwhelming force. When the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/psychological-trauma-is-an-affliction-of-the-powerless-at-the-moment/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [May all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/may-all-your-expectations-be-frustrated-may-all-your-plans-be/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [God not only loves me as I am, but also knows me as I am. Because of this I don't need to apply spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/god-not-only-loves-me-as-i-am-but-also-knows-me-as-i-am-because-of/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used. Powerlessness and silence go together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/a-voice-is-a-human-gift-it-should-be-cherished-and-used-powerlessness/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I could not stop something I knew was wrong and terrible. I had an awful sense of powerlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-sakharov/i-could-not-stop-something-i-knew-was-wrong-and-terrible-i-had-an/) [Andrei Sakharov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-sakharov/) > [It does not take a great supernatural heroine or magical hero to save the world.We all save it every day, and we all destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-does-not-take-a-great-supernatural-heroine-or-magical-hero-to-save/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“And in taking on the subject of themselves-making themselves vulnerable to the unseen reader-they have exchanged powerlessness for for the power that comes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/and-in-taking-on-the-subject-of-themselves-making-themselves/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“Here is a man who by all conventions should have been a denizen of the lower depths of society: ignored, illiterate, disfigured, limping, penniless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sugich/here-is-a-man-who-by-all-conventions-should-have-been-a-denizen-of/) Michael Sugich ## 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. 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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 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": "It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then enables us to love in a way which, without Him, would be absolutely impossible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elisabeth Elliot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-nothingness-our-powerlessness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-nothingness-our-powerlessness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/elisabeth-elliot-1209_god_it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-no_1512813.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then…” — Elisabeth Elliot", "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": "Elisabeth Elliot", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is when we come to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-nothingness-our-powerlessness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-is-when-we-come-to-the-lord-in-our-nothingness-our-powerlessness/#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 } } ] } ```