--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man finds it hard to get what he wants…" description: "\"Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png" --- # Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does… ![“Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png) > “Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it.” [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. Human desire for perfection clashes with divine generosity; people reject the best offered because they fear change. **In simple terms:** People often reject what’s best. Key Takeaway Embrace divine gifts even if they challenge comfort zones. Themes spirituality human nature divine generosity Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - religious reflection - personal growth - ethical decisions - counselling Key Concepts perfection fear of change acceptance Questions to Reflect On - Why do we resist the best we can receive? - What can humility teach us about acceptance? A Different Perspective Divine offers may require humility and trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ## Related quotes > [I like Strehler, even though sometimes he is very hard, and he never wants to stop - but he is fantastic!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirella-freni/i-like-strehler-even-though-sometimes-he-is-very-hard-and-he-never/) [Mirella Freni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirella-freni/) > [“It's beating hard because it wants the one it loves to feel it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/it-s-beating-hard-because-it-wants-the-one-it-loves-to-feel-it/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [God finds us in the holes we dig for ourselves. We see failures; He sees foundations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/god-finds-us-in-the-holes-we-dig-for-ourselves-we-see-failures-he/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [...Where and when God finds you ready, he must act and overflow into you, just as when the air is clear and pure, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/where-and-when-god-finds-you-ready-he-must-act-and-overflow-into-you/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Wherever a man commits a crime, God finds a witness. Every secret crime has its reporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/wherever-a-man-commits-a-crime-god-finds-a-witness-every-secret-crime/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Whoever you are, you are loved by a God who finds you beautiful and wants you to be fulfilled in life. Be a safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-anderson/whoever-you-are-you-are-loved-by-a-god-who-finds-you-beautiful-and/) [Dianna Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-anderson/) > [“God finds a way to weave even your mistakes into the fabric of a brighter future if you let Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/god-finds-a-way-to-weave-even-your-mistakes-into-the-fabric-of-a/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“He who does not find greatness in God finds it nowhere. He must either deny it or create it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-who-does-not-find-greatness-in-god-finds-it-nowhere-he-must-either/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [God must act and pour himself into you the moment he finds you ready. Don't imagine that God can be compared to an earthly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-must-act-and-pour-himself-into-you-the-moment-he-finds-you-ready/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [One who loves God finds the object of his love everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/one-who-loves-god-finds-the-object-of-his-love-everywhere/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [“When we're not looking seems to be the time when God finds the most delight in surprising us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-hodgson/when-we-re-not-looking-seems-to-be-the-time-when-god-finds-the-most/) [Mona Hodgson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-hodgson/) > [Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time. -Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-a-god-finds-it-hard-to-love-and-be-wise-at-the-same-time-amare/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Here is the path to the higher life: down, lower down! Just as water always seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/here-is-the-path-to-the-higher-life-down-lower-down-just-as-water/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“Even a God finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ika-natassa/even-a-god-finds-it-hard-to-love-and-be-wise-at-the-same-time/) [ika natassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ika-natassa/) > [Trust is our gift back to God, and he finds it so enchanting that Jesus died for love of it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/trust-is-our-gift-back-to-god-and-he-finds-it-so-enchanting-that/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) ## 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. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-because-he-does-not-want-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-because-he-does-not-want-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/george-macdonald-295_god_man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-b_2625236.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give…” — George MacDonald", "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": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man finds it hard to get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-because-he-does-not-want-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/man-finds-it-hard-to-get-what-he-wants-because-he-does-not-want-the/#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 } } ] } ```