--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been…" description: "\"Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been a way to make humans beings sit still, take stock of the human condition and hopefully try to do things a bit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg" --- # Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been a way to make… ![“Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been a way to make humans beings sit still, take stock of the human condition and hopefully try to do things a bit better.” quote by Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg) > “Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been a way to make humans beings sit still, take stock of the human condition and hopefully try to do things a bit better.” [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer serves as a pause for reflection, aiming to improve human behavior **In simple terms:** Prayer is a reflective pause for better actions Key Takeaway Use reflection to improve conduct Themes spirituality reflection human condition Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - journaling - community service - personal growth Key Concepts Mindfulness ethical improvement Questions to Reflect On - How do you reflect without prayer? - What alternatives aid self‑improvement? A Different Perspective Not everyone finds prayer helpful ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beings Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-sit-3996467/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Humans Beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-beings-559492/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Make Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-humans-1002177/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Centuries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-centuries-4762898/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The problem with human beings is that they can't sit alone in a room for more than an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-problem-with-human-beings-is-that-they-can-t-sit-alone-in-a-room/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“Humans are the beings whose essence is in not having an essence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/humans-are-the-beings-whose-essence-is-in-not-having-an-essence/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Science is the best thing humans beings have ever come up with. And if it isn't, science will fix it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/science-is-the-best-thing-humans-beings-have-ever-come-up-with-and-if/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [“Well, we must all make do. Humans aren't born equal. Each of us must make the most of ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-crossley-holland/well-we-must-all-make-do-humans-aren-t-born-equal-each-of-us-must/) [Kevin Crossley-Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-crossley-holland/) > [“God can supposedly make everything humans can't make but he can't make anything humans can make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ra/god-can-supposedly-make-everything-humans-can-t-make-but-he-can-t/) [Aron Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ra/) > [“Clearly, if atoms can be assembled to make humans, the laws of physics also permit the construction of vastly more advanced forms of sentient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/clearly-if-atoms-can-be-assembled-to-make-humans-the-laws-of-physics/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [“Bots, who cost money, required a period of indenture to make their manufacture worthwhile. No such incentive was required for humans to make other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/bots-who-cost-money-required-a-period-of-indenture-to-make-their/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [“There’s been some discussion as to why God created the world. Let me clear it up. He made the world because that’s what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-thayil/there-s-been-some-discussion-as-to-why-god-created-the-world-let-me/) [Jeet Thayil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-thayil/) > [“Make humans were my childhood fear. -Desiree M.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teens-famous-obscure/make-humans-were-my-childhood-fear-desiree-m/) [Teens Famous + Obscure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teens-famous-obscure/) > [The Bible tries to make humans not animals the whole time. I think it's a bit of a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/the-bible-tries-to-make-humans-not-animals-the-whole-time-i-think-it/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [Human beings are interested in the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/human-beings-are-interested-in-the-human-condition/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [I'm a sensitive guy; I respond to things that make my eyes well up a little bit, or make me root for people. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/i-m-a-sensitive-guy-i-respond-to-things-that-make-my-eyes-well-up-a/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [The largest room in the world is room for improvement. You know, some mornings my thighs are fat. Some days my hair looks great.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/the-largest-room-in-the-world-is-room-for-improvement-you-know-some/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/) [Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/) > [That's why we trust the Bible - it speaks to both realities: the unchanging human condition and the constantly changing cultural conditions. It speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/that-s-why-we-trust-the-bible-it-speaks-to-both-realities-the/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) ## More by Grace Dent > [Give me an impromptu 50-person guest list, a fold-out emergency trestle table and a pack of frozen vol-au-vent cases and, darlings, I will give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/give-me-an-impromptu-50-person-guest-list-a-fold-out-emergency/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [I skip breakfast a lot - often, it's just a litre of coffee with oat milk - and I eat lots of protein at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/i-skip-breakfast-a-lot-often-it-s-just-a-litre-of-coffee-with-oat/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [Once, bit-fetching was the job mainly of children. In the 1970s, if I sat too long looking bored, I'd be dispatched to the shop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/once-bit-fetching-was-the-job-mainly-of-children-in-the-1970s-if-i/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [The truth is I love animals more than I love most humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/the-truth-is-i-love-animals-more-than-i-love-most-humans/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [I've realised that, from your mid-40s, everything you eat and drink shows in your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/i-ve-realised-that-from-your-mid-40s-everything-you-eat-and-drink/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [The moment you become sober, you feel 100% better. Then you have to stop yourself being evangelical because you feel like you've found religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/the-moment-you-become-sober-you-feel-100-better-then-you-have-to-stop/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [Everybody you meet, when you're a restaurant critic, tells you they'd love to be your dinner companion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/everybody-you-meet-when-you-re-a-restaurant-critic-tells-you-they-d/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [My rule of thumb with being in the closet is, as long as you're not spending Sundays thumping a bible about Sodom, or weekdays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/my-rule-of-thumb-with-being-in-the-closet-is-as-long-as-you-re-not/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [Sometimes you only realise how far you've travelled when you turn around and see the distance behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/sometimes-you-only-realise-how-far-you-ve-travelled-when-you-turn/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [When I was a little girl I always enjoyed the roast potatoes and the vegetables at Sunday dinner more than the meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/when-i-was-a-little-girl-i-always-enjoyed-the-roast-potatoes-and-the/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [What 'Transparent' actually is if you give it a chance is a compelling, intoxicating look at family, siblings, secrets, divorce, being Jewish, mid-life anguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/what-transparent-actually-is-if-you-give-it-a-chance-is-a-compelling/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [There are no magical solutions to our nation's housing problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/there-are-no-magical-solutions-to-our-nation-s-housing-problem/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [We must carry on dancing, singing and loving. The other option is to make our worlds tiny, dark and untrusting. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/we-must-carry-on-dancing-singing-and-loving-the-other-option-is-to/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [My freezer always has veggie burgers in it. I don't think you should eat them every day, but they're really handy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/my-freezer-always-has-veggie-burgers-in-it-i-don-t-think-you-should/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [Microwaving cooks food from the inside out, so you can say goodbye to spongy aubergines and hello to beautifully soft flesh that soaks up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/microwaving-cooks-food-from-the-inside-out-so-you-can-say-goodbye-to/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) [Explore all 100 Grace Dent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) [Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been a way to make humans beings sit still, take stock of the human condition and hopefully try to do things a bit better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Grace Dent" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been-a-way-to-make-humans-beings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been-a-way-to-make-humans-beings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/grace-dent-5550_better_prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been_3000791.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prayer, for centuries, has only ever been a way to make humans beings sit still, take stock of the human…” — Grace Dent", "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": "Grace Dent", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prayer, for centuries, has only ever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been-a-way-to-make-humans-beings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/prayer-for-centuries-has-only-ever-been-a-way-to-make-humans-beings/#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 } } ] } ```