--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not our job to work miracles, but…" description: "\"It is not our job to work miracles, but it is our task to try.\" — Joan D. Chittister" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joan-d-chittister-2635_jobs_it-is-not-our-job-to-work-miracles-but-i_2192814.png" --- # It is not our job to work miracles, but it is our task to… ![“It is not our job to work miracles, but it is our task to try.” quote by Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joan-d-chittister-2635_jobs_it-is-not-our-job-to-work-miracles-but-i_2192814.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joan-d-chittister-2635_jobs_it-is-not-our-job-to-work-miracles-but-i_2192814.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joan-d-chittister-2635_jobs_it-is-not-our-job-to-work-miracles-but-i_2192814.png) > “It is not our job to work miracles, but it is our task to try.” [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. The quote asserts that while miracles are beyond our control, we are responsible for making earnest attempts, emphasizing effort over expectation. **In simple terms:** We must try, even if miracles aren’t guaranteed. Key Takeaway Focus on effort, not outcomes. Themes responsibility effort hope humility action Mood motivational encouraging Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - volunteering - personal challenges Key Concepts faith perseverance ethical duty Questions to Reflect On - What tasks will you attempt despite uncertainty? - How do you balance hope with realism? A Different Perspective Miracles may never occur despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) ## Related quotes > [“All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe." It will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/all-is-well-everything-is-working-out-for-my-highest-good-out-of-this/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [“Faith is a strange and a powerful thing and it can work miracles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/faith-is-a-strange-and-a-powerful-thing-and-it-can-work-miracles/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [Faith grows with exercise. You see God work miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bright/faith-grows-with-exercise-you-see-god-work-miracles/) [Bill Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bright/) > [Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. When you choose to love, you choose to work miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/miracles-occur-naturally-as-expressions-of-love-when-you-choose-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Confidence, to my way of thinking, generally is all the magic needed to work miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evalyn-walsh-mclean/confidence-to-my-way-of-thinking-generally-is-all-the-magic-needed-to/) [Evalyn Walsh McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evalyn-walsh-mclean/) > [“Stop it now! D’you think I can work miracles? What must be will be. Let everything take its inexorable course! There’s some kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/stop-it-now-d-you-think-i-can-work-miracles-what-must-be-will-be-let/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [I wish to work miracles...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/i-wish-to-work-miracles/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“This would be depressing but for one crucial fact: humans are distinguished from other species by our ability to work miracles. We call these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/this-would-be-depressing-but-for-one-crucial-fact-humans-are/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“A cup of tea at the right time can work miracles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eshkol-nevo/a-cup-of-tea-at-the-right-time-can-work-miracles/) Eshkol Nevo > [Don't expect any miracles, I can only come in and do what I can and give my best. I can't work miracles but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/don-t-expect-any-miracles-i-can-only-come-in-and-do-what-i-can-and/) [Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/) > [Powerless rage can work miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/powerless-rage-can-work-miracles/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [Work miracles by setting a good example. Others will catch your spirit! The power of a good example is the greatest miracle-working power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilferd-peterson/work-miracles-by-setting-a-good-example-others-will-catch-your-spirit/) [Wilferd Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilferd-peterson/) > [“Say your prayers, girl. Prayers work miracles; don't you see that much yet?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-benton-frank/say-your-prayers-girl-prayers-work-miracles-don-t-you-see-that-much/) [Dorothea Benton Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-benton-frank/) > [One person can have a profound effect on another. And two people...well, two people can work miracles. They can change a whole town. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-schneider/one-person-can-have-a-profound-effect-on-another-and-two-people-well/) [Andrew Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-schneider/) > [God continues to work miracles in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-aames/god-continues-to-work-miracles-in-my-life/) [Willie Aames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-aames/) ## 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 Jobs quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Musicians talk of nothing but money and jobs. Give me businessmen every time. They really are interested in music and art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/musicians-talk-of-nothing-but-money-and-jobs-give-me-businessmen/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [I've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) > [I have a question, a question for the president: Do you hate all rich people, or just rich people who don't contribute to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-have-a-question-a-question-for-the-president-do-you-hate-all-rich/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) [Browse all 14,478 Jobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not our job to work miracles, but it is our task to try.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joan D. 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