--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh the folly of any mind that would…" description: "\"Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before obeying Him! That would map out the character of God instead of crying, Lord, what wouldst thou ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/george-macdonald-295_character_oh-the-folly-of-any-mind-that-would-expl_220970.png" --- # Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before… ![“Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before obeying Him! That would map out the character of God instead of crying, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/george-macdonald-295_character_oh-the-folly-of-any-mind-that-would-expl_220970.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/george-macdonald-295_character_oh-the-folly-of-any-mind-that-would-expl_220970.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/george-macdonald-295_character_oh-the-folly-of-any-mind-that-would-expl_220970.png) > “Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before obeying Him! That would map out the character of God instead of crying, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?” [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. It warns against trying to define God before submitting to Him, urging humility and obedience. **In simple terms:** Don’t define God before obeying Him. Key Takeaway Seek humility before understanding. Themes humility faith obedience Mood reflective serious Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - religious study - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology spiritual discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance understanding and obedience? - What does humility look like in your faith? A Different Perspective Faith can be limited by human concepts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-of-god/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [The certainty of our salvation rests on the character of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-meyer/the-certainty-of-our-salvation-rests-on-the-character-of-god/) [F.B. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-meyer/) > [The character of God is today, and always will be, exactly what it was in Bible times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-character-of-god-is-today-and-always-will-be-exactly-what-it-was/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Laws are essential emanations from the self-poised character of God; they radiate from the sun to the circling edge of creation. Verily, the mighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/laws-are-essential-emanations-from-the-self-poised-character-of-god/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Nothing can alter the character of God. In the course of a human life, tastes and outlook and temper may change radically: a kind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/nothing-can-alter-the-character-of-god-in-the-course-of-a-human-life/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/if-men-do-not-comprehend-the-character-of-god-they-do-not-comprehend/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [When we say "Thy will be done," do we say it with a sigh? If so, we have never realized that the character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-we-say-thy-will-be-done-do-we-say-it-with-a-sigh-if-so-we-have/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We're not trying to prove the character of God through science. That's a bad idea. What I'm trying to do is clear away the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/we-re-not-trying-to-prove-the-character-of-god-through-science-that-s/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you cannot understand at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/faith-is-deliberate-confidence-in-the-character-of-god-whose-ways-you-2/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“The character of God is an unchanging Northstar five which to find our way through a world of moral complexity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-anderson/the-character-of-god-is-an-unchanging-northstar-five-which-to-find/) Kirby Anderson > [God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! 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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. 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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