--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If God were not only to hear our prayers…" description: "\"If God were not only to hear our prayers, as he does ever and always, but to answer them as we want them answered, he would not be God our Saviour but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/george-macdonald-295_answers_if-god-were-not-only-to-hear-our-prayers_1788464.jpg" --- # If God were not only to hear our prayers, as he does ever… ![“If God were not only to hear our prayers, as he does ever and always, but to answer them as we want them answered, he would not be God our Saviour but the ministering genius of our destruction.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/george-macdonald-295_answers_if-god-were-not-only-to-hear-our-prayers_1788464.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/george-macdonald-295_answers_if-god-were-not-only-to-hear-our-prayers_1788464.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/george-macdonald-295_answers_if-god-were-not-only-to-hear-our-prayers_1788464.jpg) > “If God were not only to hear our prayers, as he does ever and always, but to answer them as we want them answered, he would not be God our Saviour but the ministering genius of our destruction.” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If God only answered prayers exactly as we desire, He would be a tool of destruction, not a savior. **In simple terms:** God’s role isn’t to fulfill every wish; it’s deeper. Key Takeaway Trust divine wisdom over personal desire. Themes faith divine will humility Mood thoughtful serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - ethical dilemmas - spiritual growth Key Concepts Theodicy free will Questions to Reflect On - Do you expect God to meet your exact wishes? - How does this view affect your faith? A Different Perspective Human expectations can misinterpret divine purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Saviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saviour/) ## Related quotes > [God cannot hear the prayers on our lips often because the desires of our heart after the world cry out to Him much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/god-cannot-hear-the-prayers-on-our-lips-often-because-the-desires-of/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [God hear our prayers and He will attend to it. Just be patient and have faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-fairy/god-hear-our-prayers-and-he-will-attend-to-it-just-be-patient-and/) [Misty Fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-fairy/) > [God always hear my prayers and I believe God will give the best for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-always-hear-my-prayers-and-i-believe-god-will-give-the-best-for-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [GOD ALWAYS ANSWERS PRAYER Sometimes we think God does not answer our prayers, but He does. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cardinal-sarah/i-asked-the-earth-and-it-answered-i-am-not-he-and-all-things-that-are/) Robert Cardinal Sarah > [“In the beginning, there was a question. In the end, the question gets answered. God sings, we hum along, and there are many melodies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/in-the-beginning-there-was-a-question-in-the-end-the-question-gets/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“He cannot find him! Yet is he in his presence all the time, and his words enter into the ear of God his Saviour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/he-cannot-find-him-yet-is-he-in-his-presence-all-the-time-and-his/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will return to the LORD and He will hear their prayers. 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Friesner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-m-friesner/) > [When we don't hear anything from God we just don't know exactly what He is planning and we come to different conclusions that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/when-we-don-t-hear-anything-from-god-we-just-don-t-know-exactly-what/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [ He \[the Lord\] will always hear your prayers and will invariably answer them. However, His answers will seldom come while you are on your… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/he-the-lord-will-always-hear-your-prayers-and-will-invariably-answer/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [ Will not the Lord hear my prayers and listen to my cries as soon as he ever did to theirs \[the ancient saints'\] if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/will-not-the-lord-hear-my-prayers-and-listen-to-my-cries-as-soon-as/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. 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No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. 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