--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Devotion is diligence without assurance…" description: "\"“Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of saying, 'Yes, I pre-accept the terms of the universe and I am voicing in advance what I am ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/elizabeth-gilbert-131_confidence_devotion-is-diligence-without-assurance_2457210.jpg" --- # Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of… ![“Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of saying, 'Yes, I pre-accept the terms of the universe and I am voicing in advance what I am presently incapable of understanding.' There is a reason that we refer to leaps-of-faith, because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/elizabeth-gilbert-131_confidence_devotion-is-diligence-without-assurance_2457210.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/elizabeth-gilbert-131_confidence_devotion-is-diligence-without-assurance_2457210.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/elizabeth-gilbert-131_confidence_devotion-is-diligence-without-assurance_2457210.jpg) > ““Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of saying, 'Yes, I pre-accept the terms of the universe and I am voicing in advance what I am presently incapable of understanding.' There is a reason that we refer to leaps-of-faith, because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump from the rational over to the unknowable, and I don't care how diligently scholars of every religion will try to sit you down with their stacks of books and prove that their faith is rational; it isn't. If they were rational, it wouldn't be - by definition - faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face first and full speed into the dark.”” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith involves trusting the unseen and acting despite uncertainty, contrasting with rational proof. **In simple terms:** Faith is trusting without evidence. Key Takeaway Act boldly despite not understanding everything. Themes faith trust uncertainty spirituality Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal decisions - creative projects - spiritual practice Key Concepts leaps of faith existential risk belief systems Questions to Reflect On - What does “walking face first into the dark” mean for you? - When have you taken a leap without proof? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-belief/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Devotion is diligence without assurance. If faith were rational, it wouldn't be by definition faith. 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Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-faith-were-rational-it-wouldn-t-be-by-definition-faith-faith-is/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“There's a reason we refer to "leaps of faith" - because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/there-s-a-reason-we-refer-to-leaps-of-faith-because-the-decision-to/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [If faith were rational , it wouldn't be -by definition- faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-faith-were-rational-it-wouldn-t-be-by-definition-faith/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of saying "Yes, I pre-accept the terms of the universe and I embrace in advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/devotion-is-diligence-without-assurance-faith-is-a-way-of-saying-yes-2/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [When incredulity becomes a faith, it is less rational than a religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-de-goncourt/when-incredulity-becomes-a-faith-it-is-less-rational-than-a-religion/) [Jules de Goncourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-de-goncourt/) > [“Faith will become rational, Science will become spiritual, and when that day comes, the story begins”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pinheiro/faith-will-become-rational-science-will-become-spiritual-and-when/) William Pinheiro > [Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/faith-is-belief-in-what-you-cannot-see-or-prove-or-touch-faith-is/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Faith is not a rational thing, and yet to understand the universe, rationality alone will not give it to us. Our understanding of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/faith-is-not-a-rational-thing-and-yet-to-understand-the-universe/) [John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/) > [“The fact is: our faith is more rational than the most elaborate paradigm of the atheistic foundationalist, more romantic than the wildest dreams of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-m-kidd/the-fact-is-our-faith-is-more-rational-than-the-most-elaborate/) Reggie M. Kidd > [However logical our induction, the end of the thread is fastened upon the assurance of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/however-logical-our-induction-the-end-of-the-thread-is-fastened-upon/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. – Hebrews 10:22”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/let-us-draw-near-with-a-true-heart-in-full-assurance-of-faith-hebrews/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [“And this work of the Spirit carrieth its own evidence in itself, producing an assurance above all human judgment, and such as stands in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/and-this-work-of-the-spirit-carrieth-its-own-evidence-in-itself/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [“Hope is full assurance of faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/hope-is-full-assurance-of-faith/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [It is good to renew ourselves, from time to time, by closely examining the state of our souls, as if we had never done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/it-is-good-to-renew-ourselves-from-time-to-time-by-closely-examining/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. 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Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [ “And while \[we\] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that-are-vast-and-magnificent-and/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. 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You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. 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I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of saying, 'Yes, I pre-accept the terms of the universe and I am voicing in advance what I am presently incapable of understanding.' There is a reason that we refer to leaps-of-faith, because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump from the rational over to the unknowable, and I don't care how diligently scholars of every religion will try to sit you down with their stacks of books and prove that their faith is rational; it isn't. If they were rational, it wouldn't be - by definition - faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. 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