--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To will not from self, but with the…" description: "\"“To will not from self, but with the Eternal, is to live.”\" — George MacDonald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png" --- # To will not from self, but with the Eternal, is to live. ![“To will not from self, but with the Eternal, is to live.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png) > ““To will not from self, but with the Eternal, is to live.”” [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. Living aligns with the Eternal, not solely by personal will, defines true existence. **In simple terms:** Live with the Eternal, not just self‑will. Key Takeaway Seek unity with the Eternal. Themes spirituality self eternity purpose Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - prayer - ethical decisions - creative work Key Concepts Theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern the Eternal’s guidance? - Can self‑will coexist with spiritual alignment? A Different Perspective Balancing personal desire with divine will can be conflicted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Eternal Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-live-1583529/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-eternal-723857/) ## Related quotes > [Life eternal is to live in unity, in families, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Eternal life is only possible through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/life-eternal-is-to-live-in-unity-in-families-with-the-father-the-son/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [“Where there is knowledge of the Self, there is eternal peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-negi/where-there-is-knowledge-of-the-self-there-is-eternal-peace/) [Shiva Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-negi/) > [One's sister is part of one's essential self, an eternal presence of one's heart, soul and memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cabil/one-s-sister-is-part-of-one-s-essential-self-an-eternal-presence-of/) [Susan Cabil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cabil/) > [... is it truly possible to steal a life, if... the Self is eternal and cannot die? Should this be so, then one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ki-longfellow/is-it-truly-possible-to-steal-a-life-if-the-self-is-eternal-and/) [Ki Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ki-longfellow/) > [In that undifferentiated reality of the Self there is eternal bliss. All the phantoms of existence fade away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-that-undifferentiated-reality-of-the-self-there-is-eternal-bliss/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“What is the nature of REALITY At the END, which is also the BEGINNING, the SEEKER in SELF DISVOVERY finds there's only ONE 'I'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakeer-ishavardas/what-is-the-nature-of-reality-at-the-end-which-is-also-the-beginning/) [Fakeer Ishavardas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakeer-ishavardas/) > [Either consciously or unconsciously we are searching for the highest Self, which is at once eternal and infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/either-consciously-or-unconsciously-we-are-searching-for-the-highest/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [One's Sister is a part of one's essential self,an eternal presence of one's heart and soul and memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cabill/one-s-sister-is-a-part-of-one-s-essential-self-an-eternal-presence-of/) [Susan Cabill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cabill/) > [The Self is infinite. The Self is eternal. You are that Self. Beyond words, thoughts, ideas, forms and belief systems. There is nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-self-is-infinite-the-self-is-eternal-you-are-that-self-beyond/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It is not the body, nor the personality that is the true self. The true self is eternal. Even on the point of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-not-the-body-nor-the-personality-that-is-the-true-self-the-true/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [For the bliss of the animals lies in this, that, on their lower level, they shadow the bliss of those--few at any moment on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/for-the-bliss-of-the-animals-lies-in-this-that-on-their-lower-level/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Hinduism... gave itself no name, because it set itself no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion, asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/hinduism-gave-itself-no-name-because-it-set-itself-no-sectarian/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [I have only one purpose: to make people free, to urge them towards freedom, to help them to break away from all limitations, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/i-have-only-one-purpose-to-make-people-free-to-urge-them-towards/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [In our post-Freudian world, it is no longer a goal to become people of character who live out a God-ordained ideal of selfhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/in-our-post-freudian-world-it-is-no-longer-a-goal-to-become-people-of/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) ## 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 Eternal quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“Please not yet. Those are the three eternal words. Please not yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/please-not-yet-those-are-the-three-eternal-words-please-not-yet/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [I remain an eternal optimist about love. I believe in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-remain-an-eternal-optimist-about-love-i-believe-in-love/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [The time has come for us to understand that the Eternal Feminine is the greatest power in this Universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/the-time-has-come-for-us-to-understand-that-the-eternal-feminine-is/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/we-are-eternal-all-this-pain-is-an-illusion/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [In some respects I will never die. Because art is immortal. What we leave behind and what we create - the energy that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/in-some-respects-i-will-never-die-because-art-is-immortal-what-we/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [The only way to have eternal love is to never let your heart forget what it’s like to live without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-only-way-to-have-eternal-love-is-to-never-let-your-heart-forget/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [In the course of our eternal existence, we spend infinitely more time in the spirit world on the other side than we spend in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/in-the-course-of-our-eternal-existence-we-spend-infinitely-more-time/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [The propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-propitious-smiles-of-heaven-can-never-be-expected-on-a-nation/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If our faith in God is not the veriest sham, it demands, and will produce, the abandonment sometimes, the subordination always, of external helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/if-our-faith-in-god-is-not-the-veriest-sham-it-demands-and-will/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) [Browse all 3,280 Eternal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To will not from self, but with the Eternal, is to live.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-eternal-is-to-live/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eternal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-eternal-is-to-live/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/george-macdonald-295_eternal_to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-etern_1748318.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To will not from self, but with the Eternal, is to live.” — 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": "“To will not from self, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-eternal-is-to-live/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-will-not-from-self-but-with-the-eternal-is-to-live/#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 } } ] } ```