--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Think of the self that God has given as…" description: "\"“Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designed for its purpose, perfectly funct..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/elisabeth-elliot-1209_acorn_think-of-the-self-that-god-has-given-as_305127.png" --- # Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a… ![“Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designed for its purpose, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. God’s intention when He made the acorn was the oak tree. His intention for us is ‘… the measure of…” quote by Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/elisabeth-elliot-1209_acorn_think-of-the-self-that-god-has-given-as_305127.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/elisabeth-elliot-1209_acorn_think-of-the-self-that-god-has-given-as_305127.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/elisabeth-elliot-1209_acorn_think-of-the-self-that-god-has-given-as_305127.png) > ““Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designed for its purpose, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. God’s intention when He made the acorn was the oak tree. His intention for us is ‘… the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.’ Many deaths must go into our reaching that measure, many letting-goes. When you look at the oak tree, you don’t feel that the loss’ of the acorn is a very great loss. The more you perceive God’s purpose in your life, the less terrible the losses seem.”” [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 purpose for us is like an acorn growing into an oak; losses are part of that growth. **In simple terms:** Our purpose unfolds like a seed becoming a tree; losses are necessary. Key Takeaway Embrace purpose and view loss as growth. Themes purpose growth faith loss spirituality Mood hopeful inspirational Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - life purpose - grieving - spiritual development Key Concepts divine plan transformation sacrificial love Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing purpose change your grief? - What losses have shaped you? 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I sense Him in me; I see Him all around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-perceive-god-everywhere-in-his-works-i-sense-him-in-me-i-see-him/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing can be located in space and time w/out changing angles. Perceive Him as God, or Spirit, or Son, these are mere snapshots from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinko-vrbanic/nothing-can-be-located-in-space-and-time-w-out-changing-angles/) [Vinko Vrbanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinko-vrbanic/) > [“Some perceive God in the heart by the intellect through meditation; others by the yoga of knowledge; and others by the yoga of work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-perceive-god-in-the-heart-by-the-intellect-through-meditation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the broader spiritual realities, no rites or rituals are necessary to know God. NONE. Any religion that insists you can come to intimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-d-pearson/in-the-broader-spiritual-realities-no-rites-or-rituals-are-necessary/) [Carlton D. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-d-pearson/) > [“We only perceive God when we receive people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/we-only-perceive-god-when-we-receive-people/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“If I take a lamp and shine it toward the wall, a bright spot will appear on the wall. The lamp is our search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/if-i-take-a-lamp-and-shine-it-toward-the-wall-a-bright-spot-will/) [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) > [My greatest desire is that I may perceive the God whom I find everywhere in the external world, in like manner also within and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/my-greatest-desire-is-that-i-may-perceive-the-god-whom-i-find/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [“continue to grow in the light. Spiritual Senses Our body comprises of different senses that allow us to be in contact with the material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-mendez-ferrell/continue-to-grow-in-the-light-spiritual-senses-our-body-comprises-of/) [Ana Mendez Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-mendez-ferrell/) > [“ACT10.34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act10-34-then-peter-opened-his-mouth-and-said-of-a-truth-i-perceive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God will and can be known in no other way than in and through Christ according to the statement of John 1:18, "The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-will-and-can-be-known-in-no-other-way-than-in-and-through-christ/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In God's intention, a meet and happy conversation is the chiefest and noblest end of marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/in-god-s-intention-a-meet-and-happy-conversation-is-the-chiefest-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [God's intention is to transform your life, your promised land, and your nation, and to use you to bring back the earth to Himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/god-s-intention-is-to-transform-your-life-your-promised-land-and-your/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I could well believe that it is God's intention, since we have refused milder remedies, to compel us into unity, by persecution even and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cs-lewis/i-could-well-believe-that-it-is-god-s-intention-since-we-have-refused/) [CS Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cs-lewis/) > [“No, by God, he had no intention of going on like a blind man, plodding down a path of brainless, fruitless existence until old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-matheson/no-by-god-he-had-no-intention-of-going-on-like-a-blind-man-plodding/) [Richard Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-matheson/) ## 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 Acorn quotes > [“Acorn struggles in pain to crack the hard shell and emerge. For it senses that out there… exists more and it knows it. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-rumi/acorn-struggles-in-pain-to-crack-the-hard-shell-and-emerge-for-it/) [Robin Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-rumi/) > [It takes time for an acorn to turn into an oak, but the oak is already implied in the acorn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/it-takes-time-for-an-acorn-to-turn-into-an-oak-but-the-oak-is-already/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The tallest oak tree once was an acorn that any pig could have swallowed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-tallest-oak-tree-once-was-an-acorn-that-any-pig-could-have/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“As we actually taste the flavor of what he's teaching, we begin to see that it's not proverbs for daily living, or ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-bourgeault/as-we-actually-taste-the-flavor-of-what-he-s-teaching-we-begin-to-see/) [Cynthia Bourgeault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-bourgeault/) > [Eventually, even a blind squirell will find an acorn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cornette/eventually-even-a-blind-squirell-will-find-an-acorn/) [Jim Cornette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cornette/) > [“Get you gone, you dwarf, You minimus of hindering knotgrass made, You bead, you acorn!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/get-you-gone-you-dwarf-you-minimus-of-hindering-knotgrass-made-you/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“For the acorn to move forward in its life, it must first be severed from everything it has ever known. It must fall from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/for-the-acorn-to-move-forward-in-its-life-it-must-first-be-severed/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [I think character never changes; the Acorn becomes an Oak, which is very little like an Acorn to be sure, but it never becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hester-lynch-piozzi/i-think-character-never-changes-the-acorn-becomes-an-oak-which-is/) [Hester Lynch Piozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hester-lynch-piozzi/) > [“There is an oak tree is inside the acorn seed, but the acorn seed will never become an oak tree unless it is willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saji-ijiyemi/there-is-an-oak-tree-is-inside-the-acorn-seed-but-the-acorn-seed-will/) [Saji Ijiyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saji-ijiyemi/) > [The acorn of ambition often grows into an oak from which men hang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-acorn-of-ambition-often-grows-into-an-oak-from-which-men-hang/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-robinson/even-a-blind-pig-finds-an-acorn-now-and-then/) [Debra Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-robinson/) > [I'm not cool with ACORN or the working families' party, or people that vote like democrats and run on Republican lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-hoffman/i-m-not-cool-with-acorn-or-the-working-families-party-or-people-that/) [Doug Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-hoffman/) > [“Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-t-bende/even-a-blind-squirrel-finds-an-acorn-now-and-then/) [S.T. Bende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-t-bende/) > [“Even a blind hog can find an acorn once in a while”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-shumaker/even-a-blind-hog-can-find-an-acorn-once-in-a-while/) [William F. Shumaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-shumaker/) > [Oak trees come out of acorns, no matter how unlikely that seems. An acorn is just a tree's way back into the ground. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-ann-grau/oak-trees-come-out-of-acorns-no-matter-how-unlikely-that-seems-an/) [Shirley Ann Grau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-ann-grau/) [Browse all 58 Acorn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acorn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designed for its purpose, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. 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