--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Belonging is for becoming . . . if for…" description: "\"“Belonging is for becoming . . . if for some reason it becomes stifling, then the person may have to take the risk of moving on, no matter how painful ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/jean-vanier-3367_belonging_belonging-is-for-becoming-if-for-some-re_3024241.png" --- # Belonging is for becoming . . . if for some reason it… ![“Belonging is for becoming . . . if for some reason it becomes stifling, then the person may have to take the risk of moving on, no matter how painful the separation may be. Community as such is never an end in itself. It is people and love and communion with God that are the goal. But, of course…” quote by Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/jean-vanier-3367_belonging_belonging-is-for-becoming-if-for-some-re_3024241.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/jean-vanier-3367_belonging_belonging-is-for-becoming-if-for-some-re_3024241.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/jean-vanier-3367_belonging_belonging-is-for-becoming-if-for-some-re_3024241.png) > ““Belonging is for becoming . . . if for some reason it becomes stifling, then the person may have to take the risk of moving on, no matter how painful the separation may be. Community as such is never an end in itself. It is people and love and communion with God that are the goal. But, of course, a separation of this kind comes only after mature discernment and not just because being in community is painful or because there is a new leader we do not like!”” [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belonging is a step toward deeper connection, but if it becomes restrictive, mature discernment may require painful separation to seek true communion with God and love. **In simple terms:** Community is a means, not an end; leave if it stifles growth. Key Takeaway Assess when community hinders spiritual growth. Themes spirituality community growth Mood reflective hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - spiritual retreats - leadership transitions - personal growth Key Concepts discernment love God Questions to Reflect On - Is your community fostering growth or restriction? - How can you discern when to stay or leave? A Different Perspective Leaving may cause emotional pain and loss of support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Belonging Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging-reason-4910064/) [Communion with god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communion-with-god/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Painful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-painful-4910066/) [Divorce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorce/) [Painful separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painful-separation-139382/) [Separation Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-community-4910065/) ## Related quotes > [“The most painful separations are the ones that end without reasons, that end at tears, that end at points where there could have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aquib-ali/the-most-painful-separations-are-the-ones-that-end-without-reasons/) [Aquib Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aquib-ali/) > [One day the world will have to bow down in front of our love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fighter007/one-day-the-world-will-have-to-bow-down-in-front-of-our-love/) [Fighter007](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fighter007/) > [“I now saw union between man and woman was the same as union among the states—as a series of debates and compromises that might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-dray/i-now-saw-union-between-man-and-woman-was-the-same-as-union-among-the/) [Stephanie Dray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-dray/) > [“I think the most painful separation is the one that leaves us hanging around without knowing if we are still part of them or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luna-adriana/i-think-the-most-painful-separation-is-the-one-that-leaves-us-hanging/) [Luna Adriana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luna-adriana/) > [“A few minutes after they left, Harold bought the blanket from his bed, surrounded himself with his stuffed-toy animals, and built a fort out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/a-few-minutes-after-they-left-harold-bought-the-blanket-from-his-bed/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Stealthily, away from the eyes of people, the place where we used to meet, I still remember them all :(](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fighter007/stealthily-away-from-the-eyes-of-people-the-place-where-we-used-to/) [Fighter007](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fighter007/) > [In other words, first we must call people to communion with God, to intimacy with God, to a sense of belonging. 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Lk. 12:49), and through participation in this fire He makes divine not just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/the-lord-came-to-send-fire-upon-the-earth-cf-lk-12-49-and-through/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [It is not he who knows most, nor he who hears most, nor yet he who talks most, but he who exercises grace most,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/it-is-not-he-who-knows-most-nor-he-who-hears-most-nor-yet-he-who/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [To pray without expectation is to misunderstand the whole concept of prayer and relationship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/to-pray-without-expectation-is-to-misunderstand-the-whole-concept-of/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Father, write Your Word in our heart; make us men and women who understand Your truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/father-write-your-word-in-our-heart-make-us-men-and-women-who/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) ## More by Jean Vanier > [When we start helping the weak and the poor to rise everyone will begin to change. Those who have power and riches will start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/when-we-start-helping-the-weak-and-the-poor-to-rise-everyone-will/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren't afraid, that we have a treasure of truth and of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-invite-others-to-live-with-us-is-a-sign-that-we-aren-t-afraid-that/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [People are longing to rediscover true community. 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Human friendships can very quickly become a club of mediocrities, enclosed in mutual flattery and approval, preventing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/sympathies-and-antipathies-human-friendships-can-very-quickly-become/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each person is sacred, no matter what his or her culture, religion, handicap, or fragility. Each person is created in God’s image; each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-person-is-sacred-no-matter-what-his-or-her-culture-religion/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviours of the world! We are simply human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/but-let-us-not-put-our-sights-too-high-we-do-not-have-to-be-saviours/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each human being, however small or weak, has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-human-being-however-small-or-weak-has-something-to-bring-to/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Have patience . . . We are not the masters of our own feelings of attraction or revulsion; these come from places in ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/have-patience-we-are-not-the-masters-of-our-own-feelings-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The people with the best sense of what is essential to a community, of what gives and maintains its spirit, are often doing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-people-with-the-best-sense-of-what-is-essential-to-a-community-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) [Explore all 132 Jean Vanier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## More Belonging quotes > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [I always think the best way of motivating yourself is to put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're belonging to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jackson/i-always-think-the-best-way-of-motivating-yourself-is-to-put-yourself/) [Colin Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jackson/) > [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [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/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-jaitley/if-some-student-belonging-to-weaker-section-of-society-suffers/) [Arun Jaitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-jaitley/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-was-a-man-of-great-charity-towards-the-poor-and-compassion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maybe the problem with the world is, that people are too quick to judge. And out of desperation, the loneliness creeps in like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/maybe-the-problem-with-the-world-is-that-people-are-too-quick-to/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The hardest thing about being at Sony was not the travel; it was being divorced from the public and private life I had in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/the-hardest-thing-about-being-at-sony-was-not-the-travel-it-was-being/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [Whenever you are examining someone else's belongings, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the person of which you were not previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-are-examining-someone-else-s-belongings-you-are-bound-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She isn't anybody's,' Rook said darkly. 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