--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is more important that we should…" description: "\"It is more important that we should remember God than that we should breathe: indeed, if one may say so, we should do nothing else besides.\" — Gregory ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg" --- # It is more important that we should remember God than that… ![“It is more important that we should remember God than that we should breathe: indeed, if one may say so, we should do nothing else besides.” quote by Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg) > “It is more important that we should remember God than that we should breathe: indeed, if one may say so, we should do nothing else besides.” [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes that remembering God outweighs even basic physical needs, urging total devotion. **In simple terms:** Remember God above all else. Key Takeaway Prioritize spiritual focus. Themes faith devotion priorities Mood reverent solemn Type spiritual ethical When to use this quote - prayer - daily meditation - ethical decisions Key Concepts theology spiritual hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance spiritual devotion with self‑care? - What practices keep God central daily? A Different Perspective Neglecting physical health can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathe/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Breathe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-breathe-1447784/) [God Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-will/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-remember/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox/) [Orthodox christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox-christian/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-god/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [Remember God more often than you breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/remember-god-more-often-than-you-breathe/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Be patient, my friends; time rolls rapidly away; our longing has its end. The hour will strike, who knows how soon?- when the maternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-wilhelm-krummacher/be-patient-my-friends-time-rolls-rapidly-away-our-longing-has-its-end/) [Friedrich Wilhelm Krummacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-wilhelm-krummacher/) > [There is One God and One Mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ (cf. I Tim. 2:5). For He still pleads even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/there-is-one-god-and-one-mediator-between-god-and-man-the-man-jesus/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [May you be children of God, pure and unblameable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (cf. Phil. 1:15): and may you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/may-you-be-children-of-god-pure-and-unblameable-in-the-midst-of-a/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Keep the Feast of the Resurrection. Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/keep-the-feast-of-the-resurrection-be-a-peter-or-a-john-hasten-to-the/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [As far as we can reach, He Who Is, and God, are the special names of His Essence; and of these especially He Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/as-far-as-we-can-reach-he-who-is-and-god-are-the-special-names-of-his/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [We must remember how to love, remember what's important, and remember God's truth as it applies to our relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/we-must-remember-how-to-love-remember-what-s-important-and-remember/) [Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/) > [... when we are hurt it is important to remember that God Himself has allowed it for a purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/when-we-are-hurt-it-is-important-to-remember-that-god-himself-has/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“I believe that the heartbeat of God can be felt in everything. The concept of God is not aloof to me, nor is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-believe-that-the-heartbeat-of-god-can-be-felt-in-everything-the/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [God is my everything. With him nothing is lost. Talk to God. No breathe is lost. Walk with God. No strength is lost. Wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/god-is-my-everything-with-him-nothing-is-lost-talk-to-god-no-breathe/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [In God, I move and breathe and have my being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/in-god-i-move-and-breathe-and-have-my-being/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Renew every day your conversation with God: Do this even in preference to eating. Think more often of God than you breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/renew-every-day-your-conversation-with-god-do-this-even-in-preference/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Let God work through you and there will be no more duty. Let God shine forth. Let God show Himself. Live God, Eat God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sathya-sai-baba/let-god-work-through-you-and-there-will-be-no-more-duty-let-god-shine/) [Sri Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sathya-sai-baba/) > [When you died I didn't weep nor dream but knew you like a god breathe in each healing we begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-broumas/when-you-died-i-didn-t-weep-nor-dream-but-knew-you-like-a-god-breathe/) [Olga Broumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-broumas/) > [“If I were but mere dust and ashes I might speak unto the Lord, for the Lord's hand made me of this dust, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/if-i-were-but-mere-dust-and-ashes-i-might-speak-unto-the-lord-for-the/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) ## More by Gregory of Nazianzus > [That which He has not assumed He has not healed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/that-which-he-has-not-assumed-he-has-not-healed/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [As far as we can reach, He Who Is, and God, are the special names of His Essence; and of these especially He Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/as-far-as-we-can-reach-he-who-is-and-god-are-the-special-names-of-his/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [But as the old Confusion of tongues was laudable, when men who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, even as some now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/but-as-the-old-confusion-of-tongues-was-laudable-when-men-who-were-of/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, he is severed from the Godhead. If anyone should assert that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/if-anyone-does-not-believe-that-holy-mary-is-the-mother-of-god-he-is/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [What He was, He laid aside; what He was not, He assumed. He takes upon Himself the poverty of my flesh so that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/what-he-was-he-laid-aside-what-he-was-not-he-assumed-he-takes-upon/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [The first of all beautiful things is the continual possession of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/the-first-of-all-beautiful-things-is-the-continual-possession-of-god/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Such is the grace and power of baptism; not an overwhelming of the world as of old, but a purification of the sins of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/such-is-the-grace-and-power-of-baptism-not-an-overwhelming-of-the/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Keep the Feast of the Resurrection. Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/keep-the-feast-of-the-resurrection-be-a-peter-or-a-john-hasten-to-the/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Our teaching may contain nothing impious, nothing diluted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/our-teaching-may-contain-nothing-impious-nothing-diluted/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Remember God more often than you breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/remember-god-more-often-than-you-breathe/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [If our Lord ascends up to Heaven, ascend with Him. Be one of those angels who escort Him, or one of those who receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/if-our-lord-ascends-up-to-heaven-ascend-with-him-be-one-of-those/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [It is difficult to practice obedience; but it is even more difficult to practice leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-difficult-to-practice-obedience-but-it-is-even-more-difficult/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [May you be children of God, pure and unblameable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (cf. Phil. 1:15): and may you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/may-you-be-children-of-god-pure-and-unblameable-in-the-midst-of-a/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Worship the Trinity, which I call the only true devotion and saving doctrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/worship-the-trinity-which-i-call-the-only-true-devotion-and-saving/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Christ is born: glorify Him. Christ comes from heaven: go out to meet Him. Christ descends to earth: let us be raised on high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/christ-is-born-glorify-him-christ-comes-from-heaven-go-out-to-meet/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) [Explore all 55 Gregory of Nazianzus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) ## More Breathe quotes > [“Well come and stand a little bit closer, breathe in and get a bit higher. You'll ever know what hit you when I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savage-garden/well-come-and-stand-a-little-bit-closer-breathe-in-and-get-a-bit/) [Savage Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savage-garden/) > [I like fantasy, but I don't live and breathe fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/i-like-fantasy-but-i-don-t-live-and-breathe-fantasy/) [Lauren Schmidt Hissrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/) > [“Live your dreams. Breathe your dreams. Never give up on your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/live-your-dreams-breathe-your-dreams-never-give-up-on-your-dreams/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [And wheresoever, in his rich creation, Sweet music breathes--in wave, or bird, or soul-- 'Tis but the faint and far reverberation Of that great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-sargent-osgood/and-wheresoever-in-his-rich-creation-sweet-music-breathes-in-wave-or/) [Frances Sargent Osgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-sargent-osgood/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [We need to be more conversant with it because science is in our lives. It's in everything. It's in the food we eat. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/we-need-to-be-more-conversant-with-it-because-science-is-in-our-lives/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“Before we can make seismic professional, economic, and sociological changes, we have to squeeze out of our Spanx and remember how it feels to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-hays-coomer/before-we-can-make-seismic-professional-economic-and-sociological/) [Sarah Hays Coomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-hays-coomer/) > [Manchester United breathe football. When I have to make hard decisions, I always listen to little boy inside me and what he wants. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-van-persie/manchester-united-breathe-football-when-i-have-to-make-hard-decisions/) [Robin van Persie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-van-persie/) > [I drink to feel / I smoke to breathe / Just look what love / Has done to me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/i-drink-to-feel-i-smoke-to-breathe-just-look-what-love-has-done-to-me/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [Wherever you are is the perfect place to awaken. This moment is the exact place to practice compassion and loving awareness. You have all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/wherever-you-are-is-the-perfect-place-to-awaken-this-moment-is-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was 'over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/if-i-had-lost-a-leg-i-would-tell-them-instead-of-a-boy-no-one-would/) [Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/) > [In some ways, what I learned is that you can take a character and breathe with them, and its up to the audience to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aden-young/in-some-ways-what-i-learned-is-that-you-can-take-a-character-and/) [Aden Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aden-young/) [Browse all 2,793 Breathe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is more important that we should remember God than that we should breathe: indeed, if one may say so, we should do nothing else besides.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gregory of Nazianzus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-more-important-that-we-should-remember-god-than-that-we-should/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-more-important-that-we-should-remember-god-than-that-we-should/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_breathe_it-is-more-important-that-we-should-reme_1237728.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is more important that we should remember God than that we should breathe: indeed, if one may say so, we…” — Gregory of Nazianzus", "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": "Gregory of Nazianzus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is more important that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-more-important-that-we-should-remember-god-than-that-we-should/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-more-important-that-we-should-remember-god-than-that-we-should/#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 } } ] } ```