--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I pray, I never pray for myself…" description: "\"When I pray, I never pray for myself, always for others, or else I hold a silly, naive, or deadly serious dialogue with what is deepest inside me, whic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/etty-hillesum-9002_burden_when-i-pray-i-never-pray-for-myself-alwa_982909.jpg" --- # When I pray, I never pray for myself, always for others… ![“When I pray, I never pray for myself, always for others, or else I hold a silly, naive, or deadly serious dialogue with what is deepest inside me, which for the sake of convenience I call God. Praying to God for something for yourself strikes me as being too childish for words. To pray for…” quote by Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/etty-hillesum-9002_burden_when-i-pray-i-never-pray-for-myself-alwa_982909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/etty-hillesum-9002_burden_when-i-pray-i-never-pray-for-myself-alwa_982909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/etty-hillesum-9002_burden_when-i-pray-i-never-pray-for-myself-alwa_982909.jpg) > “When I pray, I never pray for myself, always for others, or else I hold a silly, naive, or deadly serious dialogue with what is deepest inside me, which for the sake of convenience I call God. Praying to God for something for yourself strikes me as being too childish for words. To pray for another's well-being is something I find childish as well; one should only pray that another should have enough strength to shoulder his burden. If you do that, you lend him some of your own strength.” [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer should focus on empowering others, not self‑centered wishes. **In simple terms:** Pray for others’ strength, not personal gain. Key Takeaway Shift prayer to support others’ resilience. Themes spirituality selflessness compassion Mood contemplative humble Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - personal prayer - community support - counseling Key Concepts altruism inner dialogue faith practice Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑care with altruism? - What does “strength” mean in this context? A Different Perspective Self‑centered prayer can neglect personal needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Helpfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpfulness/) [I pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-pray/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Strikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strikes/) [Well being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-being/) ## Related quotes > [If I'm away from you for more than an hour, I can't stop thinking about you. I carry you in my spirit. I pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/if-i-m-away-from-you-for-more-than-an-hour-i-can-t-stop-thinking-2/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [“n I pray for myself because what does it mean to love the murderer?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-shaw-crane/n-i-pray-for-myself-because-what-does-it-mean-to-love-the-murderer/) Emma Shaw Crane > [If I'm away from you for more than an hour, I can't stop thinking about you. I carry you in my spirit. I pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/if-i-m-away-from-you-for-more-than-an-hour-i-can-t-stop-thinking/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [“Jesus, I thank you for the gift of another day. Please fill my gaze with your beauty, my mind with your truth, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/jesus-i-thank-you-for-the-gift-of-another-day-please-fill-my-gaze/) [Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/) > [We just write down a bunch of words, and pray to god they make sense. And if we don't, it doesn't matter, we're artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/we-just-write-down-a-bunch-of-words-and-pray-to-god-they-make-sense/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [Often we comfort ourselves only with words, but if we pray enough, the conviction will come too that Christ is our King, not Stalin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/often-we-comfort-ourselves-only-with-words-but-if-we-pray-enough-the/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [“It does not even seem to enter our minds that there might be some incongruity in praying to the God of peace, the God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-does-not-even-seem-to-enter-our-minds-that-there-might-be-some/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“In fact, Jesus encourages us to have God’s very words within us as we pray: “If you abide in me, and my words abide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-a-grudem/in-fact-jesus-encourages-us-to-have-god-s-very-words-within-us-as-we/) [Wayne A. Grudem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-a-grudem/) > [The man who has struggled bravely with the passions of the body, has fought ably against unclean spirits, and has expelled from his soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/the-man-who-has-struggled-bravely-with-the-passions-of-the-body-has/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Don't pray for an easy Life, pray for strength to endure a difficult one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-pray-for-an-easy-life-pray-for-strength-to-endure-a-difficult/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [DO not PRAY for an EASY LIFE...PRAY for the strength to endure different ONE..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-pray-for-an-easy-life-pray-for-the-strength-to-endure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your life is in disarray and you feel uncomfortable and unworthy to pray because you are not clean, don't worry. He already knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/if-your-life-is-in-disarray-and-you-feel-uncomfortable-and-unworthy/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [Don't pray God not to remove problem, but pray to give strength totakle the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/don-t-pray-god-not-to-remove-problem-but-pray-to-give-strength/) Author Name > [The only thing I pray for is the strength to go out without complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiny-tim/the-only-thing-i-pray-for-is-the-strength-to-go-out-without/) [Tiny Tim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiny-tim/) > [Don't pray an easy life but pray for your strength in difficulties...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/don-t-pray-an-easy-life-but-pray-for-your-strength-in-difficulties/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) ## More by Etty Hillesum > [A large group of us were crowded into the Gestapo hall, and at that moment the circumstances of all our lives were the same.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/a-large-group-of-us-were-crowded-into-the-gestapo-hall-and-at-that/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [Every word born of an inner necessity - writing must never be anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/every-word-born-of-an-inner-necessity-writing-must-never-be-anything/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [That fear of missing out on things makes you miss out on everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/that-fear-of-missing-out-on-things-makes-you-miss-out-on-everything/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [There are moments when I feel like giving up or giving in, but I soon rally again and do my duty as I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/there-are-moments-when-i-feel-like-giving-up-or-giving-in-but-i-soon/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [Here, beside this great black surface that is my desk, I feel as though I am on a desert island.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/here-beside-this-great-black-surface-that-is-my-desk-i-feel-as-though/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [The externals are simply so many props; everything we need is within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/the-externals-are-simply-so-many-props-everything-we-need-is-within-us/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [If one finds the strength to deal with small things, one finds it to deal with the large ones as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/if-one-finds-the-strength-to-deal-with-small-things-one-finds-it-to/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [All disasters stem from us. Why is there a war? Perhaps because now and then I might be inclined to snap at my neighbour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/all-disasters-stem-from-us-why-is-there-a-war-perhaps-because-now-and/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/sometimes-the-most-important-thing-in-a-whole-day-is-the-rest-we-take/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [We human beings cause monstrous conditions, but precisely because we cause them we soon learn to adapt ourselves to them. Only if we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/we-human-beings-cause-monstrous-conditions-but-precisely-because-we/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [Despite everything, life is full of beauty and meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/despite-everything-life-is-full-of-beauty-and-meaning/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [Sometimes my day is crammed full of people and talk and yet I have the feeling of living in utter peace and quiet. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/sometimes-my-day-is-crammed-full-of-people-and-talk-and-yet-i-have/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [To live fully, outwardly and inwardly, not to ignore the external reality for the sake of the inner life, or the reverse, that's quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/to-live-fully-outwardly-and-inwardly-not-to-ignore-the-external/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [If one burdens the future with one's worries, it cannot grow organically. I am filled with confidence, not that I shall succeed in worldly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/if-one-burdens-the-future-with-one-s-worries-it-cannot-grow/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [We have to fight them daily, like fleas, those many small worries about the morrow, for they sap our energies. We make mental provisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/we-have-to-fight-them-daily-like-fleas-those-many-small-worries-about/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) [Explore all 62 Etty Hillesum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) ## More Burden quotes > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) Simone Abou Samra > [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“What a burden it must be to know all the terrible things you've done and support it with arms unfit to carry it all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-weikel/what-a-burden-it-must-be-to-know-all-the-terrible-things-you-ve-done/) [K. Weikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-weikel/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [It's a burden trying to keep a secret. It's hard. It probably takes more out of you trying to hold it and keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/it-s-a-burden-trying-to-keep-a-secret-it-s-hard-it-probably-takes/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [I've always liked artists like Chris Burden, who would take performances, put them in galleries, and then do things that were on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blaine/i-ve-always-liked-artists-like-chris-burden-who-would-take/) [David Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blaine/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Browse all 2,567 Burden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I pray, I never pray for myself, always for others, or else I hold a silly, naive, or deadly serious dialogue with what is deepest inside me, which for the sake of convenience I call God. Praying to God for something for yourself strikes me as being too childish for words. 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