--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Benedictine spirituality, work is what…" description: "\"In Benedictine spirituality, work is what we do to continue what God wanted done…God goes on creating through us. Consequently a life spent serving God..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/joan-d-chittister-2635_creating_in-benedictine-spirituality-work-is-what_839620.png" --- # In Benedictine spirituality, work is what we do to… ![“In Benedictine spirituality, work is what we do to continue what God wanted done…God goes on creating through us. Consequently a life spent serving God must be a life spent giving to others what we have been given.” quote by Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/joan-d-chittister-2635_creating_in-benedictine-spirituality-work-is-what_839620.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/joan-d-chittister-2635_creating_in-benedictine-spirituality-work-is-what_839620.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/joan-d-chittister-2635_creating_in-benedictine-spirituality-work-is-what_839620.png) > “In Benedictine spirituality, work is what we do to continue what God wanted done…God goes on creating through us. Consequently a life spent serving God must be a life spent giving to others what we have been given.” [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Serving God means sharing one’s gifts with others, continuing divine creation through acts of generosity. **In simple terms:** Serving God is sharing what you have. Key Takeaway Give what you have to others. Themes service generosity spirituality Mood hopeful inspirational Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - community work - faith practice Key Concepts divine purpose gift sharing Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self-care with service? - What gifts can you share today? A Different Perspective Giving may deplete personal resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving to others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-to-others/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Serving god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving-god/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [Benedictine spirituality is a consistent one: live life normally, live life thouhtfully, live life profouncly, live life well. Never neglect and never exaggerate. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/benedictine-spirituality-is-a-consistent-one-live-life-normally-live/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Benedictine spirituality, after all, is life lived to the hilt. It is a life of concentration on life's ordinary dimensions. It is an attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-chittister/benedictine-spirituality-after-all-is-life-lived-to-the-hilt-it-is-a/) Joan Chittister > [“If you have an ancestor who is a Benedictine monk, we would rather not know it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/if-you-have-an-ancestor-who-is-a-benedictine-monk-we-would-rather-not/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [If you work on your creativity, you deepen your spirituality. And if you work on your spirituality, you deepen your creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/if-you-work-on-your-creativity-you-deepen-your-spirituality-and-if/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“Whether we understand work spiritually depends in large part on whether we understand the economy spiritually. If we view the economy materialistically, thinking that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-forster/whether-we-understand-work-spiritually-depends-in-large-part-on/) [Greg Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-forster/) > [“To finally surrender ourselves to healing, we have to have three spaces opened up within us - and all at the same time: our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/to-finally-surrender-ourselves-to-healing-we-have-to-have-three/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [The contemporary form of true greatness lies in a civilization founded on the spirituality of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-contemporary-form-of-true-greatness-lies-in-a-civilization-2/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The contemporary form of true greatness lies in a civilization founded upon the spirituality of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-contemporary-form-of-true-greatness-lies-in-a-civilization/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [I want to work and continue to work - that's all I've ever done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-heaton/i-want-to-work-and-continue-to-work-that-s-all-i-ve-ever-done/) [Charlie Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-heaton/) > [Prayer does not demand that we interrupt our work, but that we continue working as if it were a prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/prayer-does-not-demand-that-we-interrupt-our-work-but-that-we/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I just work and continue to do whatever I can do to get to the highest level I can get. If that's an All-Star?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-siakam/i-just-work-and-continue-to-do-whatever-i-can-do-to-get-to-the/) [Pascal Siakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-siakam/) > [My work will continue to engage the historic South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/my-work-will-continue-to-engage-the-historic-south/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [I am quite happy to take a cut. You've got to, if you want to work and continue working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-o-grady/i-am-quite-happy-to-take-a-cut-you-ve-got-to-if-you-want-to-work-and/) [Paul O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-o-grady/) > [In the months ahead, I will leave the Department of Justice, but I will never -- I will never -- leave the work. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/in-the-months-ahead-i-will-leave-the-department-of-justice-but-i-will/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I have always said, 'Never stop work.' Continue work and sort out issues simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajinikanth/i-have-always-said-never-stop-work-continue-work-and-sort-out-issues/) [Rajinikanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajinikanth/) ## More by Joan D. Chittister > [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [To be enlightened is to know that heaven is not "coming." Heaven is here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/to-be-enlightened-is-to-know-that-heaven-is-not-coming-heaven-is-here/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We don't change as we get older - we just get to be more of what we've always been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-more-of-what-we-ve/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We may well be the ones Proverbs warns when it reminds us: "Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-may-well-be-the-ones-proverbs-warns-when-it-reminds-us-kings-take/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Today we live in a world that judges its achievements by speed and busyness. Â… We are so busy making things happen that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/today-we-live-in-a-world-that-judges-its-achievements-by-speed-and/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [My limitations make space for the gifts of other people. Without the grace of our limitations we would be isolated, dry, and insufferable creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/my-limitations-make-space-for-the-gifts-of-other-people-without-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word humus, meaning "earth." As the church has taught, we're made of dust, and unto dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-the-latin-word-humus-meaning/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Compassion makes no distinction between friends and enemies, neighbors and outsiders, compatriots and foreigners. Compassion is the gate to human community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/compassion-makes-no-distinction-between-friends-and-enemies-neighbors/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Prophets are so dangerous because they cry in season and out of season, politely and impolitely, loud and long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/prophets-are-so-dangerous-because-they-cry-in-season-and-out-of/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“We don't change as we get older - we just get to be ore of what we've always been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-ore-of-what-we-ve/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“What happens to the spiritual life of a young girl who is made to understand, consciously or subconsciously, that she has no place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/what-happens-to-the-spiritual-life-of-a-young-girl-who-is-made-to/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Old age tells us that we ourselves have failed often, have never really done anything completely right, have never truly been perfect - anad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/old-age-tells-us-that-we-ourselves-have-failed-often-have-never/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [But we are here to depart from this world as finished as we can possibly become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/but-we-are-here-to-depart-from-this-world-as-finished-as-we-can/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Whatever happens to the body, what toll age takes on the physical, the spirit does not grow old. In our dreams, in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/whatever-happens-to-the-body-what-toll-age-takes-on-the-physical-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Two ideas militate against our consciously contributing to a better world. The idea that we can do everything or the conclusion that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/two-ideas-militate-against-our-consciously-contributing-to-a-better/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) [Explore all 156 Joan D. Chittister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) ## More Creating quotes > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [People who are creating history don't realize they're creating it at the time it's happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-dreymon/people-who-are-creating-history-don-t-realize-they-re-creating-it-at/) [Alexander Dreymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-dreymon/) > [When I am creating art, I have absolutely no social responsibility. It's like dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/when-i-am-creating-art-i-have-absolutely-no-social-responsibility-it/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [“It didn’t matter that the scarves weren’t even all that special or great or that I was making far too many to actually keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-vercillo/it-didn-t-matter-that-the-scarves-weren-t-even-all-that-special-or/) [Kathryn Vercillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-vercillo/) > [I think, if I had my choice, I would spend all my time in the studio writing, and creating music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/i-think-if-i-had-my-choice-i-would-spend-all-my-time-in-the-studio/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/your-problem-is-how-you-are-going-to-spend-this-one-odd-and-precious/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The ultimate goal of radical politics is gradually to displace the limit of social exclusions, empowering the excluded agents (sexual and ethnic minorities) by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-ultimate-goal-of-radical-politics-is-gradually-to-displace-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [Creating a top team and being in a position to win the Tour de France will give me a nice feeling. But I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-alonso/creating-a-top-team-and-being-in-a-position-to-win-the-tour-de-france/) [Fernando Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-alonso/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You wind up creating from silence, like painting a picture on a blank canvas that could bring tears to somebody's eyes. As songwriters, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/you-wind-up-creating-from-silence-like-painting-a-picture-on-a-blank/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [Intimacy requires an ability to both merge and be separate, to come together and be apart, like oscillating on a giant swing from oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-sophia-kasl/intimacy-requires-an-ability-to-both-merge-and-be-separate-to-come/) [Charlotte Sophia Kasl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-sophia-kasl/) > [Creating something new is easy, creating something that lasts is the challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-braun/creating-something-new-is-easy-creating-something-that-lasts-is-the/) [Adam Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-braun/) [Browse all 3,972 Creating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Benedictine spirituality, work is what we do to continue what God wanted done…God goes on creating through us. 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