--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main thing in life is not to figure…" description: "\"“The main thing in life is not to figure everything out but to rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish his will in every circumstance – inclu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/john-g-stackhouse-249206_life_the-main-thing-in-life-is-not-to-figure_3136974.jpg" --- # The main thing in life is not to figure everything out but… ![“The main thing in life is not to figure everything out but to rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish his will in every circumstance – including the best theology for the job – and then to get on with that work.” quote by John G. Stackhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/john-g-stackhouse-249206_life_the-main-thing-in-life-is-not-to-figure_3136974.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/john-g-stackhouse-249206_life_the-main-thing-in-life-is-not-to-figure_3136974.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/john-g-stackhouse-249206_life_the-main-thing-in-life-is-not-to-figure_3136974.jpg) > ““The main thing in life is not to figure everything out but to rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish his will in every circumstance – including the best theology for the job – and then to get on with that work.”” [John G. Stackhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-stackhouse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on divine provision while pursuing purpose, trusting God for needed resources and guidance. **In simple terms:** Trust God, do the work. Key Takeaway Seek God's guidance, act faithfully. Themes Faith Theology Trust Purpose Action Mood Hopeful Reflective Type Quote Teaching When to use this quote - Mission work - Personal decisions - Community service Key Concepts Divine providence Spiritual reliance Mission focus Questions to Reflect On - What does trusting God look like in daily tasks? - How do you balance faith and effort? A Different Perspective Human effort alone may fall short. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-theology-1057981/) [God Provide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-provide-1392323/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rely God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely-god/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [Theology Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology-job-5572648/) ## Related quotes > [The best theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/the-best-theology-is-rather-a-divine-life-than-a-divine-knowledge/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [As in art, poetry, music, etc., the best theology is worked out in pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-chalke/as-in-art-poetry-music-etc-the-best-theology-is-worked-out-in-pain/) [Steve Chalke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-chalke/) > [The best theology is probably no theology; just love one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/the-best-theology-is-probably-no-theology-just-love-one-another/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [The best theology would need no advocates; it would prove itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-best-theology-would-need-no-advocates-it-would-prove-itself/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Waiting means going about our assigned tasks, confident that God will provide the meaning and the conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/waiting-means-going-about-our-assigned-tasks-confident-that-god-will/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [When we come to the edge of all that we know and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-come-to-the-edge-of-all-that-we-know-and-are-about-to-step/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I went through the motions but didn’t always believe that God would provide. Maybe if I worked hard enough, at least he wouldn’t get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-dale/i-went-through-the-motions-but-didn-t-always-believe-that-god-would/) [Melanie Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-dale/) > [God will provide the food, but he will not cook the dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-troward/god-will-provide-the-food-but-he-will-not-cook-the-dinner/) [Thomas Troward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-troward/) > [God will always be around to provide for you if you believe and if you are trying to provide the good for your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/god-will-always-be-around-to-provide-for-you-if-you-believe-and-if/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [“We are always hungry and never satisfied because we don’t trust and won’t risk. Can we reach a place where we are satisfied with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-deturris-poust/we-are-always-hungry-and-never-satisfied-because-we-don-t-trust-and/) [Mary DeTurris Poust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-deturris-poust/) > [Why? Why did God provide me with more than I need?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/why-why-did-god-provide-me-with-more-than-i-need/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Money will buy u bed but not sleep, books but not brain, food but not appetite, finery but not beauty,a house but not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sweetner/money-will-buy-u-bed-but-not-sleep-books-but-not-brain-food-but-not/) [Sweetner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sweetner/) > [If economic catastrophe does come, will it be a time that draws Christians together to share every resource we have, or will it drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/if-economic-catastrophe-does-come-will-it-be-a-time-that-draws/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [When I began my pilgrimage I left the Los Angeles area without a cent, having faith that God would provide me with everything I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/when-i-began-my-pilgrimage-i-left-the-los-angeles-area-without-a-cent/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [I believe that God will provide in his own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadya-suleman/i-believe-that-god-will-provide-in-his-own-way/) [Nadya Suleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadya-suleman/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The main thing in life is not to figure everything out but to rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish his will in every circumstance – including the best theology for the job – and then to get on with that work.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John G. 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