--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Almightiness consists much less in that…" description: "\"“Almightiness consists much less in that which human beings imagine it to be, namely, changing things in accordance with one’s own will—Jesus proved, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg" --- # Almightiness consists much less in that which human beings… ![“Almightiness consists much less in that which human beings imagine it to be, namely, changing things in accordance with one’s own will—Jesus proved, through his miracles, that he could do that, too—than in exerting an influence on the freedom of human hearts without overpowering them. Enticing…” quote by Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg) > ““Almightiness consists much less in that which human beings imagine it to be, namely, changing things in accordance with one’s own will—Jesus proved, through his miracles, that he could do that, too—than in exerting an influence on the freedom of human hearts without overpowering them. Enticing forth from them, through the mysterious power of grace, their free assent to the truly good.”” [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grace influences hearts subtly, guiding free assent to good without coercion, unlike overt willful change. **In simple terms:** Grace works quietly in hearts. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and openness to grace. Themes theology grace free will ethics Mood reflective contemplative Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal decision making - spiritual counseling - ethical leadership Key Concepts divine influence human freedom spiritual assent Questions to Reflect On - How can one recognize gentle divine influence? - What role does free will play in moral choices? A Different Perspective Human resistance can limit grace’s effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changing Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-things/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Nature of Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-beauty/) ## Related quotes > [“Jesus Christ is proof of God’s grace gift; he redeemed the glory of God in human life; mankind condemned is now mankind justified because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-du-toit/jesus-christ-is-proof-of-god-s-grace-gift-he-redeemed-the-glory-of/) [François Du Toit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-du-toit/) > [The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is more powerful than anything else we believe. By His resurrection Jesus proved He is who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-evidence-for-the-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-is-more-powerful/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [For me it's important to keep changing things up and growing and experiencing new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/for-me-it-s-important-to-keep-changing-things-up-and-growing-and/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) > [I don't want to be that person overthinking and changing things. It's not how I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pegula/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-person-overthinking-and-changing-things-it-s/) [Jessica Pegula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pegula/) > [I don’t see it in terms of changing things, but rather using language and music as weapons for fighting a mainstream media which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-don-t-see-it-in-terms-of-changing-things-but-rather-using-language/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I do so much revising as I go along; I wonder how I could write books if I hadn't grown up in the computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-do-so-much-revising-as-i-go-along-i-wonder-how-i-could-write-books/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [As soon as you start doing that - changing things - it seems self-evident to me that you've entered the world of make-believe. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/as-soon-as-you-start-doing-that-changing-things-it-seems-self-evident/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [“Of all the many changing things In dreary dancing past us whirled, To the cracked tune that Chronos sings, Words alone are certain good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/of-all-the-many-changing-things-in-dreary-dancing-past-us-whirled-to/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I can't remember who said, 'No film is completed, just abandoned,' but I think most filmmakers will tell you that they could endlessly fiddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-can-t-remember-who-said-no-film-is-completed-just-abandoned-but-i/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [When people with power see things happen of which they disapprove, they drop bombs and send in tanks. When people without power see things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-with-power-see-things-happen-of-which-they-disapprove/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forever is a long long time and time has a way of changing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/forever-is-a-long-long-time-and-time-has-a-way-of-changing-things/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [There's a sense of knowing when to stop and take a break from things, to step back from the work you're making, and of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fox/there-s-a-sense-of-knowing-when-to-stop-and-take-a-break-from-things/) [Dan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fox/) > [“The Song Of The Happy Shepherd The woods of Arcady are dead, And over is their antique joy; Of old the world on dreaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/the-song-of-the-happy-shepherd-the-woods-of-arcady-are-dead-and-over/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/changing-things-from-the-top-down-works-when-things-are-stable/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Changing is not just changing the things outside of us. First of all we need the right view that transcends all notions including of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/changing-is-not-just-changing-the-things-outside-of-us-first-of-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Hans Urs von Balthasar > [Only the Christian religion, which in its essence is communicated by the eternal child of God, keeps alive in its believers the lifelong awareness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/only-the-christian-religion-which-in-its-essence-is-communicated-by/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [The work with which we embark on this first volume of a series of theological studies is a work with which the philosophical person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-work-with-which-we-embark-on-this-first-volume-of-a-series-of/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [The Holy Spirit knows what a particular age's most pressing need is far better than men with their programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-holy-spirit-knows-what-a-particular-age-s-most-pressing-need-is/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [The first attempt at a response: there must have been a fall, a decline, and the road to salvation can only be the return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-first-attempt-at-a-response-there-must-have-been-a-fall-a-decline/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [There is a moment when the interior light of the "eyes of faith" becomes one with the exterior light that shines from Christ, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/there-is-a-moment-when-the-interior-light-of-the-eyes-of-faith/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [A truth that is merely handed on, without being thought anew from its very foundations, has lost its vital power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/a-truth-that-is-merely-handed-on-without-being-thought-anew-from-its/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [But the issue is not only life and death but our existence before God and our being judged by him. All of us were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/but-the-issue-is-not-only-life-and-death-but-our-existence-before-god/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [Faith means the fundamental response to the love that has offered itself up for me. It thus becomes clear that faith is ordered primarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/faith-means-the-fundamental-response-to-the-love-that-has-offered/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [Hell is to be contemplated strictly as a matter which concerns me alone. As part of the spiritual life it belongs behind the 'closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/hell-is-to-be-contemplated-strictly-as-a-matter-which-concerns-me/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [What you are is God's gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/what-you-are-is-god-s-gift-to-you-what-you-become-is-your-gift-to-god/) [Hans Urs Von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [Above all we must not wish to cling to our suffering. Suffering surely deepens us and enhances our person, but we must not desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/above-all-we-must-not-wish-to-cling-to-our-suffering-suffering-surely/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [The inner reality of love can be recognized only by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-inner-reality-of-love-can-be-recognized-only-by-love/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [To be a child means to owe one's existence to another, and even in our adult life we never quite reach the point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/to-be-a-child-means-to-owe-one-s-existence-to-another-and-even-in-our/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [There is much in Christianity which can be subjected to exact analysis. But the ultimate things are shrouded in the silent mysteries of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/there-is-much-in-christianity-which-can-be-subjected-to-exact/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [“For all his gentleness and humility unto death on the Cross, God does not relinquish his attribute of being judge and consuming fire. Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/for-all-his-gentleness-and-humility-unto-death-on-the-cross-god-does/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) [Explore all 73 Hans Urs von Balthasar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Almightiness consists much less in that which human beings imagine it to be, namely, changing things in accordance with one’s own will—Jesus proved, through his miracles, that he could do that, too—than in exerting an influence on the freedom of human hearts without overpowering them. Enticing forth from them, through the mysterious power of grace, their free assent to the truly good.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hans Urs von Balthasar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that-which-human-beings-imagine-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that-which-human-beings-imagine-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/hans-urs-von-balthasar-9350_freedom_almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that_1620551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Almightiness consists much less in that which human beings imagine it to be, namely, changing things in…” — Hans Urs von Balthasar", "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": "Hans Urs von Balthasar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Almightiness consists much less in that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that-which-human-beings-imagine-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/almightiness-consists-much-less-in-that-which-human-beings-imagine-it/#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 } } ] } ```