---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Things which sound like platitudes become…"
description: "\"Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living and powerful when you have to learn them in the bottom of the barrel, in dark tunnels.\" — Elisa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png"
---

#  Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living…

![“Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living and powerful when you have to learn them in the bottom of the barrel, in dark tunnels.” quote by Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png)

> “Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living and powerful when you have to learn them in the bottom of the barrel, in dark tunnels.”

[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.

Hard truths become powerful when learned through hardship and darkness.

**In simple terms:** Hard lessons gain strength in tough times.

Key Takeaway

Embrace difficulty to gain insight.

Themes

hardship wisdom resilience truth

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- crisis management
- self‑reflection
- leadership

Key Concepts

learning under pressure personal growth adversity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does adversity change your perception of common sayings?
- When do simple truths become profound?

A Different Perspective

Not all platitudes hold value in easy circumstances.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bottom of the barrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom-of-the-barrel/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark Tunnel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-tunnel/) [Dark Tunnels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-tunnels-1153488/) [Like Platitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-platitudes-1153487/) [Platitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/platitudes/) [Platitudes Vital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/platitudes-vital-1153486/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Tunnels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tunnels/)

## Related quotes

> [Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living and powerful when you have to learn them in dark tunnels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-which-sound-like-platitudes-become-vital-living-and-powerful/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There's not always bright lights. Sometimes you have to go through dark tunnels to be able to get to the success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/there-s-not-always-bright-lights-sometimes-you-have-to-go-through/)

[DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/)

> [“Every Journey has it's own set of dark tunnels,diversions , exits and sources of lights. If we are not focussed enough, we will keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sail/every-journey-has-it-s-own-set-of-dark-tunnels-diversions-exits-and/)

[Sail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sail/)

> [I like film books at the bottom of the barrel and art books at the top. 'The Ghastly One,' by Jimmy McDonough, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-like-film-books-at-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-and-art-books-at-the/)

[John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/)

> [I always felt I was scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to get a song together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-always-felt-i-was-scraping-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-trying-to-get-a/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [Don't bail; the best pieces of gold are at the bottom of the barrel of crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/don-t-bail-the-best-pieces-of-gold-are-at-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-of/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [For a long time trans people have always been a joke. Our reputation has always been the bottom of the barrel and it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/for-a-long-time-trans-people-have-always-been-a-joke-our-reputation/)

[Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/)

> [“It's like a big circle. I've gone on a get-a-man crusade, but so far it's been a disaster and I'm feeling as bad about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/it-s-like-a-big-circle-i-ve-gone-on-a-get-a-man-crusade-but-so-far-it/)

[Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/)

> [You never get quite down to the bottom of the barrel, but we are much higher than that at the present time. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/you-never-get-quite-down-to-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-but-we-are-much/)

[Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/)

> [Wife number four destroyed me absolutely: took me down to the bottom of the barrel because I had three kids with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-lamas/wife-number-four-destroyed-me-absolutely-took-me-down-to-the-bottom/)

[Lorenzo Lamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-lamas/)

> [I've been so blessed because I've had such longevity. I'm not a big red carpet girl. But I love the work. In this business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-basinger/i-ve-been-so-blessed-because-i-ve-had-such-longevity-i-m-not-a-big/)

[Kim Basinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-basinger/)

> [“Interns are invisible. You can tell an executive your name a hundred times and that executive will never remember it because they have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-kuhn/interns-are-invisible-you-can-tell-an-executive-your-name-a-hundred/)

[Shane Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-kuhn/)

> [In this business, you can be at the top of the world and at the bottom of the barrel, and you're grape juice. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-basinger/in-this-business-you-can-be-at-the-top-of-the-world-and-at-the-bottom/)

[Kim Basinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-basinger/)

> [The problem is, there are definitely some genuinely lame things on television, and there's more at the bottom of the barrel, because the barrel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-johnson/the-problem-is-there-are-definitely-some-genuinely-lame-things-on/)

[Steven Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-johnson/)

> [“Then it was horn time. Time for the big solo. Sonny lifted the trumpet - One! Two! - He got it into sight -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-beaumont/then-it-was-horn-time-time-for-the-big-solo-sonny-lifted-the-trumpet/)

[Charles Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-beaumont/)

## 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 Bottom of the barrel quotes

> [I like film books at the bottom of the barrel and art books at the top. 'The Ghastly One,' by Jimmy McDonough, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-like-film-books-at-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-and-art-books-at-the/)

[John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/)

> [The problem is, there are definitely some genuinely lame things on television, and there's more at the bottom of the barrel, because the barrel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-johnson/the-problem-is-there-are-definitely-some-genuinely-lame-things-on/)

[Steven Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-johnson/)

> [In this business, you can be at the top of the world and at the bottom of the barrel, and you're grape juice. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-basinger/in-this-business-you-can-be-at-the-top-of-the-world-and-at-the-bottom/)

[Kim Basinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-basinger/)

> [“Interns are invisible. You can tell an executive your name a hundred times and that executive will never remember it because they have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-kuhn/interns-are-invisible-you-can-tell-an-executive-your-name-a-hundred/)

[Shane Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-kuhn/)

> [I've been so blessed because I've had such longevity. I'm not a big red carpet girl. But I love the work. In this business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-basinger/i-ve-been-so-blessed-because-i-ve-had-such-longevity-i-m-not-a-big/)

[Kim Basinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-basinger/)

> [Wife number four destroyed me absolutely: took me down to the bottom of the barrel because I had three kids with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-lamas/wife-number-four-destroyed-me-absolutely-took-me-down-to-the-bottom/)

[Lorenzo Lamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-lamas/)

> [You never get quite down to the bottom of the barrel, but we are much higher than that at the present time. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/you-never-get-quite-down-to-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-but-we-are-much/)

[Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/)

> [“It's like a big circle. I've gone on a get-a-man crusade, but so far it's been a disaster and I'm feeling as bad about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/it-s-like-a-big-circle-i-ve-gone-on-a-get-a-man-crusade-but-so-far-it/)

[Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/)

> [For a long time trans people have always been a joke. Our reputation has always been the bottom of the barrel and it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/for-a-long-time-trans-people-have-always-been-a-joke-our-reputation/)

[Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/)

> [Don't bail; the best pieces of gold are at the bottom of the barrel of crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/don-t-bail-the-best-pieces-of-gold-are-at-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-of/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [I always felt I was scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to get a song together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-always-felt-i-was-scraping-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-trying-to-get-a/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [“Then it was horn time. Time for the big solo. Sonny lifted the trumpet - One! Two! - He got it into sight -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-beaumont/then-it-was-horn-time-time-for-the-big-solo-sonny-lifted-the-trumpet/)

[Charles Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-beaumont/)

> [I haven't been approached to do a 'Doctor Who' movie. I think they would be scraping the bottom of the barrel if they asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-baker/i-haven-t-been-approached-to-do-a-doctor-who-movie-i-think-they-would/)

[Colin Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-baker/)

> [I think the bottom of the barrel is where the answers are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-eaglesmith/i-think-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-is-where-the-answers-are/)

[Fred Eaglesmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-eaglesmith/)

> [With writing a song, I've always felt, right from the start, like I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel. I don't ever feel there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/with-writing-a-song-i-ve-always-felt-right-from-the-start-like-i-m/)

[Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/)

[Browse all 19 Bottom of the barrel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom-of-the-barrel/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living and powerful when you have to learn them in the bottom of the barrel, in dark tunnels.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Elisabeth Elliot"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/things-which-sound-like-platitudes-become-vital-living-and-powerful-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bottom of the barrel"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/things-which-sound-like-platitudes-become-vital-living-and-powerful-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_bottom-of-the-barrel_things-which-sound-like-platitudes-becom_996375.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Things which sound like platitudes become vital, living and powerful when you have to learn them in the…” — 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": "Things which sound like platitudes become...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/things-which-sound-like-platitudes-become-vital-living-and-powerful-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/things-which-sound-like-platitudes-become-vital-living-and-powerful-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```