--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We will not, therefore, lose our time…" description: "\"We will not, therefore, lose our time praying to an imaginary god for things which our own exertions alone can procure.\" — Francesc Ferrer i Guardia" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png" --- # We will not, therefore, lose our time praying to an… ![“We will not, therefore, lose our time praying to an imaginary god for things which our own exertions alone can procure.” quote by Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png) > “We will not, therefore, lose our time praying to an imaginary god for things which our own exertions alone can procure.” [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on divine intervention neglects personal agency; human effort is essential for achieving goals. **In simple terms:** Don't pray, act. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for outcomes. Themes self‑reliance agency secularism Mood motivational pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business ventures - personal goals - social activism Key Concepts humanism empowerment pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take today toward your goal? - How does personal effort shape your identity? A Different Perspective Divine reliance can provide comfort but may reduce initiative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Do not be content with an imaginary god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-grossman/do-not-be-content-with-an-imaginary-god/) [Allen Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-grossman/) > [That raises a terrible question. How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-raises-a-terrible-question-how-is-it-that-people-who-are-quite/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A God whom we could understand exhaustively, and whose revelation of Himself confronted us with no mysteries whatsoever, would be a God in man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-god-whom-we-could-understand-exhaustively-and-whose-revelation-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Keep his mind on the inner life. He thinks his conversion is something inside him, and his attention is therefore chiefly turned at present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/keep-his-mind-on-the-inner-life-he-thinks-his-conversion-is-something/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Every time I finish a book, I say to an imaginary god that I do not believe in, 'Please let me live to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/every-time-i-finish-a-book-i-say-to-an-imaginary-god-that-i-do-not/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“Did God get out of bed one morning and draw back the curtains (Reggie's imaginary God led a very domesticated life) and think, 'A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/did-god-get-out-of-bed-one-morning-and-draw-back-the-curtains-reggie/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [No man can do a great and enduring work for God who is not a man of prayer, and no man can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/no-man-can-do-a-great-and-enduring-work-for-god-who-is-not-a-man-of/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [If you'll spend time praying for people instead of talking about them, you'll get better results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-ll-spend-time-praying-for-people-instead-of-talking-about-them/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“Perhaps the prayer that is offered when the time for praying is over is more terribly pathetic than any other. Yet one might hesitate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-pain/perhaps-the-prayer-that-is-offered-when-the-time-for-praying-is-over/) [Barry Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-pain/) > [Job's friends chose the right time to visit him, but took not the right course of improving their visit; had they spent the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/job-s-friends-chose-the-right-time-to-visit-him-but-took-not-the/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [I want to talk about God in a literary way. But I think I would have a very hard time praying to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-want-to-talk-about-god-in-a-literary-way-but-i-think-i-would-have-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“Such dangers aside, you can greatly improve your prayer life if you combine these first two principles: set apart time for praying, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/such-dangers-aside-you-can-greatly-improve-your-prayer-life-if-you/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [Remember your death when you are praying. it may be the last time you are praying \*true\*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie/remember-your-death-when-you-are-praying-it-may-be-the-last-time-you/) [Rosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie/) > [“Nothing prayed for – it is life’s strictest and least graceful rule – comes to you at the time of praying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/nothing-prayed-for-it-is-life-s-strictest-and-least-graceful-rule/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“I guarantee you that after you die you will not say 'I spent too much time praying; I wish I had watched more TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/i-guarantee-you-that-after-you-die-you-will-not-say-i-spent-too-much/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## More by Francesc Ferrer i Guardia > [Governments have ever been known to hold a high hand over the education of the people. They know, better than anyone else, that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/governments-have-ever-been-known-to-hold-a-high-hand-over-the/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [Let no more gods or exploiters be served Let us learn rather to love one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/let-no-more-gods-or-exploiters-be-served-let-us-learn-rather-to-love/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [It is a conspicuous fact in our modern Christian society that as a result and cumulation of our partriarchal development, the woman does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/it-is-a-conspicuous-fact-in-our-modern-christian-society-that-as-a/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [When thier god and his exploiters cease to be adored and served, we shall live like comrades in mutual affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/when-thier-god-and-his-exploiters-cease-to-be-adored-and-served-we/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [When the masses become better informed about science, they will feel less need for help form supernatural Higher Powers. The need for religion will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/when-the-masses-become-better-informed-about-science-they-will-feel/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [I desire that on no occasion ... shall demonstrations of a political or religious character be made before my remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/i-desire-that-on-no-occasion-shall-demonstrations-of-a-political-or/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [We must destroy all which in the present school answers to the organization of constraint, the artificial surroundings by which children are separated from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/we-must-destroy-all-which-in-the-present-school-answers-to-the/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) [Explore all 8 Francesc Ferrer i Guardia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) ## More Exertion quotes > [“It is not the actual, physical exertion that counts towards one’s progress, not the nature of the task but by the spirit of faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-the-actual-physical-exertion-that-counts-towards-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [Used with due abstinence, hope acts as a healthful tonic; intemperately indulged, as an enervating opiate. The visions of future triumph, which at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/used-with-due-abstinence-hope-acts-as-a-healthful-tonic-intemperately/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [All that the Y.M.C.A.'s horse and rings really accomplished was to fill me with an ineradicable distaste, not only for Christian endeavor in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/all-that-the-y-m-c-a-s-horse-and-rings-really-accomplished-was-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“He was dangerous. And difficult. And he was all mine. Sometimes in the morning, when he worked in the gym one floor below, I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-was-dangerous-and-difficult-and-he-was-all-mine-sometimes-in-the/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Nowledge is not a passion from without the mind, but an active exertion of the inward strength, vigor and power of the mind, displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-cudworth/nowledge-is-not-a-passion-from-without-the-mind-but-an-active/) [Ralph Cudworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-cudworth/) > [Before thou callest a man hero or genius, investigate whether his exertion has features of indelibility; for all that is celestial, all genius, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/before-thou-callest-a-man-hero-or-genius-investigate-whether-his/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Perhaps the chief cause which has retarded the progress of poetry in America, is the want of that exclusive cultivation, which so noble a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/perhaps-the-chief-cause-which-has-retarded-the-progress-of-poetry-in/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [customary interruptions are not only gratifying and cheering, but they are also really necessary in order to gain breath and voice to carry one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-siddons/customary-interruptions-are-not-only-gratifying-and-cheering-but-they/) [Sarah Siddons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-siddons/) > [Perhaps there is no gift of nature that requires as little exertion on the part of the owner as personal beauty. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/perhaps-there-is-no-gift-of-nature-that-requires-as-little-exertion/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [Let the Saints remember that great things depend on their individual exertion, and that they are called to be co-workers with us and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/let-the-saints-remember-that-great-things-depend-on-their-individual/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [The sweetest of all success is that which one wins by hard exertion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-sweetest-of-all-success-is-that-which-one-wins-by-hard-exertion/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Communism requires of its adherents that they arise early and participate in a strenuous round of calisthenics. To someone who wishes that cigarettes came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/communism-requires-of-its-adherents-that-they-arise-early-and/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Laughter is the most healthful exertion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-wilhelm-hufeland/laughter-is-the-most-healthful-exertion/) [Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-wilhelm-hufeland/) > [War, like all other situations of danger and of change, calls forth the exertion of admirable intellectual qualities and great virtues, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/war-like-all-other-situations-of-danger-and-of-change-calls-forth-the/) [William C. Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-bryant/) Browse all 244 Exertion quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We will not, therefore, lose our time praying to an imaginary god for things which our own exertions alone can procure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francesc Ferrer i Guardia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-praying-to-an-imaginary-god-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exertion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-praying-to-an-imaginary-god-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia-4794_exertion_we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-pray_1188988.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We will not, therefore, lose our time praying to an imaginary god for things which our own exertions alone…” — Francesc Ferrer i Guardia", "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": "Francesc Ferrer i Guardia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We will not, therefore, lose our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-praying-to-an-imaginary-god-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/we-will-not-therefore-lose-our-time-praying-to-an-imaginary-god-for/#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 } } ] } ```