--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really…" description: "\"We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really trying to discern God's will, or determine whether I want to do it?'\" — Erwin McManus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png" --- # We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really trying to discern… ![“We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really trying to discern God's will, or determine whether I want to do it?'” quote by Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png) > “We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really trying to discern God's will, or determine whether I want to do it?'” [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Question whether you seek God's will or simply desire to act on it. **In simple terms:** Distinguish divine will from personal desire. Key Takeaway Seek alignment with true purpose. Themes spirituality self‑reflection purpose Mood contemplative inquisitive Type theological psychological When to use this quote - decision making - spiritual discernment - goal setting Key Concepts divine will personal motivation Questions to Reflect On - Are you listening or just wanting? - What evidence points to God's will? A Different Perspective Desire may masquerade as divine guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Determine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determine/) [Determine Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determine-want-346655/) [Discern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discern/) [Discern God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discern-god-863999/) [God 's will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-will/) [God Determine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-determine-1728250/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Discern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-discern-4818017/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Pay attention to the people God puts in your path if you want to discern what God is up to in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/pay-attention-to-the-people-god-puts-in-your-path-if-you-want-to/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“Trying to discern what was different about them, she decided it was a new sense of life. They seemed to shimmer with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-macomber/trying-to-discern-what-was-different-about-them-she-decided-it-was-a/) [Debbie Macomber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-macomber/) > [We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/we-ought-to-get-out-of-the-judging-business-we-should-leave-it-up-to/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I don't want to give you the opportunity to find a box to put me in, figure it out later. When the records come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-jhn/i-don-t-want-to-give-you-the-opportunity-to-find-a-box-to-put-me-in/) [Saint Jhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-jhn/) > [But man's eyes are blind through sin, and he can discern no part of God's truth till the Spirit opens them. Inner illumination, leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/but-man-s-eyes-are-blind-through-sin-and-he-can-discern-no-part-of/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“Well, we start with this outrageous idea that the ground of being, existence itself, is a person, and that this person is intimately concerned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gruber/well-we-start-with-this-outrageous-idea-that-the-ground-of-being/) [Michael Gruber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gruber/) > [Viewers can determine what they want to watch and what they don't want to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/viewers-can-determine-what-they-want-to-watch-and-what-they-don-t/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [Let us bear our cross and leave it to God to determine the length and the weight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-philippine-duchesne/let-us-bear-our-cross-and-leave-it-to-god-to-determine-the-length-and/) [Rose Philippine Duchesne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-philippine-duchesne/) > [“YOUR ADDICTION TO THE WORD OF GOD DETERMINE'S YOUR ADDITION TO YOUR WORLD”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/onu-ekene/your-addiction-to-the-word-of-god-determine-s-your-addition-to-your/) [Onu Ekene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/onu-ekene/) > [“You are what you desire. You may live with desires and determine all that you want; But your actions determine what and how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-kumar/you-are-what-you-desire-you-may-live-with-desires-and-determine-all/) [Gian Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gian-kumar/) > [“Does God determine, solely according to his own unilaterally established will, exactly who will be saved and who will be lost?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-l-walls/does-god-determine-solely-according-to-his-own-unilaterally/) [Jerry L. Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-l-walls/) > [Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romans-12-2/do-not-be-conformed-to-this-world-but-be-transformed-by-the-renewal/) [Romans 12:2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romans-12-2/) > [You too can determine what you want. You can decide on your major objectives, targets, aim and destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/you-too-can-determine-what-you-want-you-can-decide-on-your-major/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Privacy matters; privacy is what allows us to determine who we are and who we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/privacy-matters-privacy-is-what-allows-us-to-determine-who-we-are-and/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We should not confuse complete faith in God with complete faith in our ability to discern God's voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/we-should-not-confuse-complete-faith-in-god-with-complete-faith-in/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) ## More by Erwin McManus > [I guess when I really think about it, God's voice sounds a lot like my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/i-guess-when-i-really-think-about-it-god-s-voice-sounds-a-lot-like-my/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [When we lack integrity, we use power to control. When we lead with integrity, we use power to bless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/when-we-lack-integrity-we-use-power-to-control-when-we-lead-with/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [The shape of your character is the shape of your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/the-shape-of-your-character-is-the-shape-of-your-future/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [You need to remember who God is, forget the painful wounds and let Him renew you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/you-need-to-remember-who-god-is-forget-the-painful-wounds-and-let-him/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [It’s a wonderful thing when you look inside your own heart and like what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/it-s-a-wonderful-thing-when-you-look-inside-your-own-heart-and-like/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [I think Christianity is the same as Buddhism and Hinduism - whenever a religion begins to say that these are the things you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/i-think-christianity-is-the-same-as-buddhism-and-hinduism-whenever-a/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [The world doesn't need more great leaders, it needs more great people who lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/the-world-doesn-t-need-more-great-leaders-it-needs-more-great-people/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Deeper than our instinct to live is our longing to be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/deeper-than-our-instinct-to-live-is-our-longing-to-be-alive/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Faith is the determination to create with our lives what only our hearts can conceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/faith-is-the-determination-to-create-with-our-lives-what-only-our/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [How in the world could you ever imagine a life of faith that does not require risk? Faith and risk are inseparable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/how-in-the-world-could-you-ever-imagine-a-life-of-faith-that-does-not/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Greatness comes with discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/greatness-comes-with-discipline/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Love, no matter how you come at it, is a huge risk. It makes it easier for me to remember that God will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/love-no-matter-how-you-come-at-it-is-a-huge-risk-it-makes-it-easier/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [My goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ ... Some people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/my-goal-is-to-destroy-christianity-as-a-world-religion-and-be-a/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [So many of us have abdicated our passions for obligations, as if passion is a luxury for the young, and we must all grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/so-many-of-us-have-abdicated-our-passions-for-obligations-as-if/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Truth should never travel faster than love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/truth-should-never-travel-faster-than-love/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) [Explore all 106 Erwin McManus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really trying to discern God's will, or determine whether I want to do it?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erwin McManus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-trying-to-discern-god-s-will-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-trying-to-discern-god-s-will-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/erwin-mcmanus-4838_asks_we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-try_1386394.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have to ask ourselves, 'Am I really trying to discern God's will, or determine whether I want to do it?'” — Erwin McManus", "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": "Erwin McManus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have to ask ourselves, 'Am...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-trying-to-discern-god-s-will-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/we-have-to-ask-ourselves-am-i-really-trying-to-discern-god-s-will-or/#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 } } ] } ```