--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness…" description: "\"Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness; not the definition of helplessness, but the feeling of it; not figures of speech, but earnestness of soul.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/hannah-more-2695_communication_prayer-is-not-eloquence-but-earnestness_1713000.png" --- # Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness; not the… ![“Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness; not the definition of helplessness, but the feeling of it; not figures of speech, but earnestness of soul.” quote by Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/hannah-more-2695_communication_prayer-is-not-eloquence-but-earnestness_1713000.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/hannah-more-2695_communication_prayer-is-not-eloquence-but-earnestness_1713000.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/hannah-more-2695_communication_prayer-is-not-eloquence-but-earnestness_1713000.png) > “Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness; not the definition of helplessness, but the feeling of it; not figures of speech, but earnestness of soul.” [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer is valued for sincere feeling rather than polished language or a sense of helplessness. **In simple terms:** Earnest prayer matters more than eloquent words. Key Takeaway Focus on sincere intention. Themes faith prayer sincerity Mood reflective contemplative Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal worship - church services - private meditation Key Concepts spirituality authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate sincerity in prayer? - What does earnestness look like in daily life? A Different Perspective Eloquence cannot replace genuine feeling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Compunction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compunction/) [Eloquence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquence/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Figures of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures-of-speech/) [God prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-prayer/) [Helplessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helplessness/) [I pray to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-pray-to-god/) [Inspirational prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-prayer/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-life/) [Prayers not being answered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayers-not-being-answered/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Saying a prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-a-prayer/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Thoughts and prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-and-prayers/) ## Related quotes > [Prayer is not eloquence but earnestness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/prayer-is-not-eloquence-but-earnestness/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/prayer-is-putting-oneself-in-the-hands-of-god/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Pray as if everything depended on God, and work as if everything depended upon man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spellman/pray-as-if-everything-depended-on-god-and-work-as-if-everything/) Francis Spellman > [The most important habit is solitude, quiet time. People who enter their day by taking 45 minutes or an hour for themselves - meditation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-most-important-habit-is-solitude-quiet-time-people-who-enter/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [God shapes the world by prayer. The more prayer there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/god-shapes-the-world-by-prayer-the-more-prayer-there-is-in-the-world/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Don't pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/don-t-pray-when-you-feel-like-it-have-an-appointment-with-the-lord/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [It is the habit of faith, when she is praying, to use pleas. Mere prayer sayers, who do not pray at all, forget to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/it-is-the-habit-of-faith-when-she-is-praying-to-use-pleas-mere-prayer/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [The reason why we obtain no more in prayer is because we expect no more. God usually answers us according to our own hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-alleine/the-reason-why-we-obtain-no-more-in-prayer-is-because-we-expect-no/) [Richard Alleine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-alleine/) > [Effective prayer is prayer that attains what it seeks. 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It is a longing of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/prayer-is-not-asking-it-is-a-longing-of-the-soul/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/and-it-is-in-dying-that-we-are-born-to-eternal-life/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Prayer must mean something to us, if it is to mean anything to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maltbie-davenport-babcock/prayer-must-mean-something-to-us-if-it-is-to-mean-anything-to-god/) [Maltbie Davenport Babcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maltbie-davenport-babcock/) > [God shapes the world by prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/god-shapes-the-world-by-prayer/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Our prayers lay the track down which God's power can come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/our-prayers-lay-the-track-down-which-god-s-power-can-come/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) ## More by Hannah More > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Wisdom views with an indifferent eye all finite joys, all blessings born to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/wisdom-views-with-an-indifferent-eye-all-finite-joys-all-blessings/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. 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They are novel-writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/who-are-those-ever-multiplying-authors-that-with-unparalleled/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) [Explore all 154 Hannah More quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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