--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: C.S. Lewis had a big influence on me in…" description: "\"C.S. Lewis had a big influence on me in this spiritual realm - this sort of sense of longing. A longing for a knowledge that is just outside of our rea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/francis-collins-5281_bigs_c-s-lewis-had-a-big-influence-on-me-in-t_768578.jpg" --- # C.S. Lewis had a big influence on me in this spiritual… ![“C.S. Lewis had a big influence on me in this spiritual realm - this sort of sense of longing. A longing for a knowledge that is just outside of our reach, a knowledge for a spiritual connection.” quote by Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/francis-collins-5281_bigs_c-s-lewis-had-a-big-influence-on-me-in-t_768578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/francis-collins-5281_bigs_c-s-lewis-had-a-big-influence-on-me-in-t_768578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/francis-collins-5281_bigs_c-s-lewis-had-a-big-influence-on-me-in-t_768578.jpg) > “C.S. Lewis had a big influence on me in this spiritual realm - this sort of sense of longing. A longing for a knowledge that is just outside of our reach, a knowledge for a spiritual connection.” [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a deep yearning for knowledge and connection beyond current understanding, a spiritual longing. **In simple terms:** A yearning for unseen knowledge and connection. Key Takeaway Pursue both scientific and spiritual curiosity. Themes spirituality science longing knowledge Mood hopeful thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research - meditation - philosophical study Key Concepts metaphysics human curiosity transcendence Questions to Reflect On - What unknowns inspire you? - How can science and spirituality coexist? A Different Perspective Science may not fully satisfy spiritual yearning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Realms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realms/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-connection/) ## Related quotes > [He who leaves school, knowing little, but with a longing for knowledge, will go farther than one who quits, knowing many things, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/he-who-leaves-school-knowing-little-but-with-a-longing-for-knowledge/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [This longing for knowledge makes the real artist brave. He never adheres to the first image that appears to him, because he knows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chekhov/this-longing-for-knowledge-makes-the-real-artist-brave-he-never/) [Michael Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chekhov/) > [“My ears hear what others cannot hear; small faraway things people cannot normally see are visible to me. These senses are the fruits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-stoker/my-ears-hear-what-others-cannot-hear-small-faraway-things-people/) India Stoker > [From attachment comes longing, and longing breeds anger. From anger comes delusion, and from delusion, confused memory. From confused memory comes the ruin of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/from-attachment-comes-longing-and-longing-breeds-anger-from-anger/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“I thought about this. As I have already told you, I did not grow up in poverty. But I did grow up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/i-thought-about-this-as-i-have-already-told-you-i-did-not-grow-up-in/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“Deep within everyone's heart there always remains a sense of longing for that hour, that summer, that one brief moment of blossoming. For several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/deep-within-everyone-s-heart-there-always-remains-a-sense-of-longing/) [Irene Nemirovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/) > [I don't deliberately look for something dark or bleak or disconnected, in fact that's not something I'm even conscious of in the work as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-crewdson/i-don-t-deliberately-look-for-something-dark-or-bleak-or-disconnected/) [Gregory Crewdson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-crewdson/) > [I did not grow up in poverty. But I did grow up with a poor boy's sense of longing, in my case not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-did-not-grow-up-in-poverty-but-i-did-grow-up-with-a-poor-boy-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I initially discovered hiraeth on social media, and it made me suck in my breath as something stirred deep within me. It's Welsh, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karpov-kinrade/i-initially-discovered-hiraeth-on-social-media-and-it-made-me-suck-in/) [Karpov Kinrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karpov-kinrade/) > [Longing is the fullest sense of desire; it's the most deeply felt kind of desire. I think the most interesting artwork comes out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-burr/longing-is-the-fullest-sense-of-desire-it-s-the-most-deeply-felt-kind/) [Tom Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-burr/) > [That single thought is enough. The impulse increases to a wish, the wish to a desire, the desire to an uncontrollable longing, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/that-single-thought-is-enough-the-impulse-increases-to-a-wish-the/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“I had looked into the distance so long that I hadn't seen what was near at hand. If we don't cherish those who stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-clark/i-had-looked-into-the-distance-so-long-that-i-hadn-t-seen-what-was/) Janice Clark > [“And it seemed to me that longing was everything, longing is all we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-martin/and-it-seemed-to-me-that-longing-was-everything-longing-is-all-we-are/) [Valerie Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-martin/) > [At every stage, addiction is driven by one of the most powerful, mysterious, and vital forces of human existence. What drives addiction is longing--a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-plantinga/at-every-stage-addiction-is-driven-by-one-of-the-most-powerful/) [Cornelius Plantinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-plantinga/) > [“Woe entreats: Go! Away, woe! But all that suffers wants to live, that it may become ripe and joyous and longing- longing for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/woe-entreats-go-away-woe-but-all-that-suffers-wants-to-live-that-it/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Francis Collins > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [ \[Decoding the human genome sequence\] is the most significant undertaking that we have mounted so far in an organized way in all of science.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/decoding-the-human-genome-sequence-is-the-most-significant/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [By committing the scientific method to religious claims you're committing a logical fallacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/by-committing-the-scientific-method-to-religious-claims-you-re/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [All illnesses have some heredity contribution. It's been said that genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/all-illnesses-have-some-heredity-contribution-it-s-been-said-that/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [ As you kind of get over the anxiety about \[science and evolution\], it actually adds to your sense of awe about this amazing universe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/as-you-kind-of-get-over-the-anxiety-about-science-and-evolution-it/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I trained initially as a physical chemist, and then, after becoming interested in biology, I went to medical school and learned how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-trained-initially-as-a-physical-chemist-and-then-after-becoming/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I think there are people who's lives have been saved because of the study of the genome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-think-there-are-people-who-s-lives-have-been-saved-because-of-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I finished up my graduate degree in quantum mechanics, but underwent a bit of a personal crisis, recognizing that I didn't want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-finished-up-my-graduate-degree-in-quantum-mechanics-but-underwent-a/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [One must dig deeply into opposing points of view in order to know whether your own position remains defensible. Iron sharpens iron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/one-must-dig-deeply-into-opposing-points-of-view-in-order-to-know/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Genes are effectively one-dimensional. If you write down the sequence of A, C, G and T, that's kind of what you need to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/genes-are-effectively-one-dimensional-if-you-write-down-the-sequence/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [By investigating God's majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/by-investigating-god-s-majestic-and-awesome-creation-science-can/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Science is...a powerful way, indeed - to study the natural world. Science is not particularly effective...in making commentary about the supernatural world. Both worlds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/science-is-a-powerful-way-indeed-to-study-the-natural-world-science/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I became an atheist because, as a graduate student studying quantum physics, life seemed to be reducible to second-order differential equations. Mathematics, chemistry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-became-an-atheist-because-as-a-graduate-student-studying-quantum/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [We give our kids vaccinations. That's a biological enhancement that's considered not just acceptable but actually admirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/we-give-our-kids-vaccinations-that-s-a-biological-enhancement-that-s/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) [Explore all 102 Francis Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "C.S. Lewis had a big influence on me in this spiritual realm - this sort of sense of longing. 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