--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Should the king in exile pretend he is…" description: "\"Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should he not seek his own country? His miseries are his ally; they urge him on. Let them grow, if ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg" --- # Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should… ![“Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should he not seek his own country? His miseries are his ally; they urge him on. Let them grow, if need be. But do not forsake the secret of life; do not despise those kingly desires. We abandon the most important journey of our lives when we…” quote by John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg) > “Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should he not seek his own country? His miseries are his ally; they urge him on. Let them grow, if need be. But do not forsake the secret of life; do not despise those kingly desires. We abandon the most important journey of our lives when we abandon desire. We leave our hearts by the side of the road and head off in the direction of fitting in, getting by, being productive, what have you. Whatever we might gain – money, position, the approval of others, or just absence of the discontent self – it’s not worth it.” [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True fulfillment comes from embracing desire and authentic purpose, not merely conforming to societal expectations or external success. **In simple terms:** Follow true desires, not just social norms. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic purpose over approval. Themes purpose authenticity desire conformity meaning Mood reflective determined hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - spiritual quests - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What desires have you suppressed for acceptance? - How might embracing desire change your path? A Different Perspective Ignoring desire can lead to emptiness despite external achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Allies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Approval of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval-of-others/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Discontent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontent/) [Exile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exile/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-life/) [Secret Of Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-of-life/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [We abandon the most important journey of our lives when we abandon desire. We leave our hearts by the side of the road and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-abandon-the-most-important-journey-of-our-lives-when-we-abandon/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [It is the soul's duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/it-is-the-soul-s-duty-to-be-loyal-to-its-own-desires-it-must-abandon/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Abandon desire for this world, and God will love you. Abandon desire for others’ goods, and people will love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-majah/abandon-desire-for-this-world-and-god-will-love-you-abandon-desire/) [Ibn Majah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-majah/) > [If you seek reality you must set yourself free of all backgrounds, of all cultures, of all patterns of thinking and feeling. Even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/if-you-seek-reality-you-must-set-yourself-free-of-all-backgrounds-of/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [You are probably at your sanest when you come to the place where you abandon all else but your desire for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/you-are-probably-at-your-sanest-when-you-come-to-the-place-where-you/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Some say home is where the heart is. Even if true this does little to keep explorers put. They tend to leave their hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-leary/some-say-home-is-where-the-heart-is-even-if-true-this-does-little-to/) Christopher Leary > [The girl she said, I didn’t tell you this because it was a small thing, but little girls, they leave their hearts at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwidge-danticat/the-girl-she-said-i-didn-t-tell-you-this-because-it-was-a-small-thing/) [Edwidge Danticat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwidge-danticat/) > [“Where we love is home—home that our feet may leave but not our hearts. —Oliver Wendell Holmes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/where-we-love-is-home-home-that-our-feet-may-leave-but-not-our-hearts-2/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/where-we-love-is-home-home-that-our-feet-may-leave-but-not-our-hearts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we can trust each other and leave everything-all our hearts-out on the field, I think we're going to have something to come home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-wambach/if-we-can-trust-each-other-and-leave-everything-all-our-hearts-out-on/) [Abby Wambach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-wambach/) > [It must not content us to take our bodies to church if we leave our hearts at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/it-must-not-content-us-to-take-our-bodies-to-church-if-we-leave-our/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [People go, friends leave, hearts move, parents stay, however God is always there to look upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-go-friends-leave-hearts-move-parents-stay-however-god-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where we love is home- home that our feet may leave- not our hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell/where-we-love-is-home-home-that-our-feet-may-leave-not-our-hearts/) Oliver Wendell > [Lord help me to work on giving, praying and fasting without seeking approval of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lord-help-me-to-work-on-giving-praying-and-fasting-without-seeking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people lower their own self esteem simply by seeking approval of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-lower-their-own-self-esteem-simply-by-seeking-approval-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Eldredge > [To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/to-find-god-you-must-look-with-all-your-heart-to-remain-present-to/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [ “There is a satisfaction we don't want to come to until we come to it in God…\[Disappointments\] serve to remind us every day that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/there-is-a-satisfaction-we-don-t-want-to-come-to-until-we-come-to-it/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The early Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit 'the wild goose.' And the reason why is they knew that you cannot tame him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-early-celtic-christians-called-the-holy-spirit-the-wild-goose-and/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The real you is on the side of God against the false self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-real-you-is-on-the-side-of-god-against-the-false-self/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“The authors challenge that the marriage in which one cannot express disappointment has become an idol – The Thing that Cannot Be Questioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-authors-challenge-that-the-marriage-in-which-one-cannot-express/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [A man's calling is written on his true heart, and he discovers it when he enters the frontier of his deep desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/a-man-s-calling-is-written-on-his-true-heart-and-he-discovers-it-when/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [In the end, it doesn’t matter how well we have performed or what we have accomplished—a life without heart is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/in-the-end-it-doesn-t-matter-how-well-we-have-performed-or-what-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [Whatever their age, most men have never received true fathering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/whatever-their-age-most-men-have-never-received-true-fathering/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I'm married. I have three children. I have a mortgage to pay. The plumbing breaks and the yard needs trimming. However, what my wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-m-married-i-have-three-children-i-have-a-mortgage-to-pay-the/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“He is on a mission to rescue a people who are so utterly deceived most of them don’t even want to be rescued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/he-is-on-a-mission-to-rescue-a-people-who-are-so-utterly-deceived/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“Something has gone wrong in us, very wrong indeed. So wrong that we have to be told that joy is found not in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/something-has-gone-wrong-in-us-very-wrong-indeed-so-wrong-that-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“We don’t need accountability groups; we need fellow warriors, someone to fight alongside, someone to watch our back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-need-accountability-groups-we-need-fellow-warriors-someone/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-see-clearly-because-we-don-t-see-with-the-eyes-of-our-heart/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-story-of-your-life-is-the-story-of-the-long-and-brutal-assault-on/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I have a call to speak, to write, to do sort of deep-heart surgery in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-have-a-call-to-speak-to-write-to-do-sort-of-deep-heart-surgery-in/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) [Explore all 233 John Eldredge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## More Abandon quotes > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) Kenan Malik > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/every-subjective-phenomenon-is-essentially-connected-with-a-single/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't give up because things are hard, but work harder, when you think of giving up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-give-up-because-things-are-hard-but-work-harder-when-you-think/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I care so deeply about this matter that I'm willing to take on the legal penalties, to sit in this prison cell, to sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-care-so-deeply-about-this-matter-that-i-m-willing-to-take-on-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) Browse all 1,142 Abandon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should he not seek his own country? His miseries are his ally; they urge him on. Let them grow, if need be. But do not forsake the secret of life; do not despise those kingly desires. We abandon the most important journey of our lives when we abandon desire. We leave our hearts by the side of the road and head off in the direction of fitting in, getting by, being productive, what have you. Whatever we might gain – money, position, the approval of others, or just absence of the discontent self – it’s not worth it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Eldredge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-happy-there-should-he-not-seek/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abandon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-happy-there-should-he-not-seek/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/john-eldredge-1487_abandon_should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-h_2769501.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Should the king in exile pretend he is happy there? Should he not seek his own country? His miseries are his…” — John Eldredge", "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": "John Eldredge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Should the king in exile pretend...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-happy-there-should-he-not-seek/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/should-the-king-in-exile-pretend-he-is-happy-there-should-he-not-seek/#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 } } ] } ```