--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ought to contemplate providence not as…" description: "\"“We ought to contemplate providence not as curious and fickle persons are wont to do but as a ground of confidence and excitement to prayer. When he in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/john-calvin-490_confidence_we-ought-to-contemplate-providence-not-a_2972545.jpg" --- # We ought to contemplate providence not as curious and… ![“We ought to contemplate providence not as curious and fickle persons are wont to do but as a ground of confidence and excitement to prayer. When he informs us that the hairs of our head are all numbered it is not to encourage trivial speculations but to instruct us to depend on the fatherly care…” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/john-calvin-490_confidence_we-ought-to-contemplate-providence-not-a_2972545.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/john-calvin-490_confidence_we-ought-to-contemplate-providence-not-a_2972545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/john-calvin-490_confidence_we-ought-to-contemplate-providence-not-a_2972545.jpg) > ““We ought to contemplate providence not as curious and fickle persons are wont to do but as a ground of confidence and excitement to prayer. When he informs us that the hairs of our head are all numbered it is not to encourage trivial speculations but to instruct us to depend on the fatherly care of God which is exercised over these frail bodies.”” [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith is presented as a secure foundation for prayer, not a subject for idle curiosity; God’s detailed care invites trust. **In simple terms:** God’s care gives confidence in prayer. Key Takeaway Trust God’s detailed care. Themes faith trust prayer divine providence Mood reverent hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - seeking comfort - dealing with uncertainty - spiritual reflection Key Concepts theology spiritual confidence reliance Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing divine detail affect your daily worries? - What role does trust play when evidence is unseen? A Different Perspective Faith may not satisfy empirical skeptics seeking proof. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“Providence has a curious way of letting two lives run along, each apparently independent of the other. Parallel lines they seem, hopeless of meeting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roberts-rinehart/providence-has-a-curious-way-of-letting-two-lives-run-along-each/) [Mary Roberts Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roberts-rinehart/) > [God I admit I'm just a weak person I lost so many people jesus I dont know what to do I dont but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/god-i-admit-i-m-just-a-weak-person-i-lost-so-many-people-jesus-i-dont/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [When we remember God's faithfulness and His ability to bring good out of any situation, we find our fears calmed and our confidence renewed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-we-remember-god-s-faithfulness-and-his-ability-to-bring-good-out/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Take care of God’s creation. But above all, take care of people in need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/take-care-of-god-s-creation-but-above-all-take-care-of-people-in-need/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Please understand, I am aware that I am calloused, worn, and rusted in all the parts of me that used to shine, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-kent-white/please-understand-i-am-aware-that-i-am-calloused-worn-and-rusted-in/) [Tyler Kent White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-kent-white/) > [“To care means first of all to empty our own cup and to allow the other to come close to us. It means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/to-care-means-first-of-all-to-empty-our-own-cup-and-to-allow-the/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers. Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs; that just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/sometimes-i-thank-god-for-unanswered-prayers-remember-when-you-re/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [Dont care for what people think about you,just care for what God thinks about you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beta/dont-care-for-what-people-think-about-you-just-care-for-what-god/) Beta > [There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/there-have-been-men-before-now-who-got-so-interested-in-proving-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Joe Biden will care for God's creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-suozzi/joe-biden-will-care-for-god-s-creation/) [Tom Suozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-suozzi/) > [When religion is good, it will take care of itself. When it is not able to take care of itself, and God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/when-religion-is-good-it-will-take-care-of-itself-when-it-is-not-able/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good must merit God's peculiar care; But who but God can tell us who they are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/the-good-must-merit-god-s-peculiar-care-but-who-but-god-can-tell-us/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [If you care to see God, be pure. If you will not be pure, you will grow more and more impure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/if-you-care-to-see-god-be-pure-if-you-will-not-be-pure-you-will-grow/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [It is our work to cast care, and it is God's work to take care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/it-is-our-work-to-cast-care-and-it-is-god-s-work-to-take-care/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [I care more about what God knows than what man says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mustaine/i-care-more-about-what-god-knows-than-what-man-says/) [Dave Mustaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mustaine/) ## More by John Calvin > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-word-hope-i-take-for-faith-and-indeed-hope-is-nothing-else-but/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [No man can come to God but by an extraordinary revelation of the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/no-man-can-come-to-god-but-by-an-extraordinary-revelation-of-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [There cannot be a surer rule, nor a stronger exhortation to the observance of it, than when we are taught that all the endowments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-cannot-be-a-surer-rule-nor-a-stronger-exhortation-to-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The whole gospel is contained in Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-whole-gospel-is-contained-in-christ/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [For Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-scripture-is-the-school-of-the-holy-spirit-in-which-as-nothing-is/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against-2/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-a-preacher-is-not-first-preaching-to-himself-better-that-he-falls/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Again I ask whence it happened that the fall of Adam involved, without remedy, in eternal death so many nations, together with their infant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/again-i-ask-whence-it-happened-that-the-fall-of-adam-involved-without/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Unless God's Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/unless-god-s-word-illumine-the-way-the-whole-life-of-men-is-wrapped/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) [Explore all 520 John Calvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We ought to contemplate providence not as curious and fickle persons are wont to do but as a ground of confidence and excitement to prayer. 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