--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God isn't calling us to a lonely, joyless…" description: "\"God isn't calling us to a lonely, joyless existence with the promise of a delayed reward. God is calling us to live, to love and enjoy the challenge. G..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/john-powell-12850_calling_god-isn-t-calling-us-to-a-lonely-joyless_2054839.png" --- # God isn't calling us to a lonely, joyless existence with… ![“God isn't calling us to a lonely, joyless existence with the promise of a delayed reward. God is calling us to live, to love and enjoy the challenge. God's formulas are roadmaps to freedom and peace. God is saying to us: "The only way to live is to be free. So save your heart for love and save…” quote by John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/john-powell-12850_calling_god-isn-t-calling-us-to-a-lonely-joyless_2054839.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/john-powell-12850_calling_god-isn-t-calling-us-to-a-lonely-joyless_2054839.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/john-powell-12850_calling_god-isn-t-calling-us-to-a-lonely-joyless_2054839.png) > “God isn't calling us to a lonely, joyless existence with the promise of a delayed reward. God is calling us to live, to love and enjoy the challenge. God's formulas are roadmaps to freedom and peace. God is saying to us: "The only way to live is to be free. So save your heart for love and save your love for persons. Don't ever let any 'thing' own you. Don't let money or fame or power or the pursuit of pleasure put a ring in your nose and lead you around. Love persons and use things." And of course, this is the only way to live, to be free.” [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God invites a life of love, freedom, and joy, not a distant, austere existence. **In simple terms:** Live freely with love and joy. Key Takeaway Prioritize love and freedom over material pursuits. Themes spirituality freedom love purpose Mood hopeful motivational Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - daily relationships - career choices - financial decisions - personal goals Key Concepts theology ethical living Questions to Reflect On - What does freedom mean to you? - How can you balance love with worldly responsibilities? A Different Perspective Materialism can distract from spiritual fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Challenge God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-god-1592941/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Delayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delayed/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Formulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formulas/) [Freedom and peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-and-peace/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-calling/) [God Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-saying/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-free/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Noses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noses/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Reward God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward-god-253563/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Rings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rings/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way to live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-to-live/) ## Related quotes > [To be effective the preacher's message must be alive; it must alarm, arouse, challenge; it must be God's present voice to a particular people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-effective-the-preacher-s-message-must-be-alive-it-must-alarm/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The supreme religious challenge is to see God’s image in one who is not in our image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-supreme-religious-challenge-is-to-see-god-s-image-in-one-who-is/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [“Trust God more than you trust that thought. Don’t try to fight those thoughts with your willpower alone—challenge them with God’s Word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/trust-god-more-than-you-trust-that-thought-don-t-try-to-fight-those/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [If you are religious, then remember that this bomb is Man's challenge to God. It's worded quite simply: We have the power to destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/if-you-are-religious-then-remember-that-this-bomb-is-man-s-challenge/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Don't dwell on fears of the day. Trust God's plan and His eternal love for you. Remember: Whatever the size of your challenge, God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-dwell-on-fears-of-the-day-trust-god-s-plan-and-his-eternal-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man giving challenge to God is like a particle of dust giving challenge to Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-giving-challenge-to-god-is-like-a-particle-of-dust-giving/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Be strong in every challenge, God wants to check how long can you hold on to Him till the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-arcilla/be-strong-in-every-challenge-god-wants-to-check-how-long-can-you-hold/) [Agnes Arcilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-arcilla/) > [“I control the world so long as I can name it. Which is why children must chase language before they do anything else, tame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-control-the-world-so-long-as-i-can-name-it-which-is-why-children/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [Love works not for profit nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain result of every labor of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/love-works-not-for-profit-nor-reward-yet-god-has-ordained-that-great/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Usually when those people say those ugly words they are talking about something they dont like, for example when a small baby is born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/usually-when-those-people-say-those-ugly-words-they-are-talking-about/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [“I said to him one day that the very slender reward which God had attached to the pursuit of serious inquiry was a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/i-said-to-him-one-day-that-the-very-slender-reward-which-god-had/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I don't want a reward from God for taking in all the homeless people I have over the years. I just want him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-don-t-want-a-reward-from-god-for-taking-in-all-the-homeless-people/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Now bring what we have into common stock, and communicate to everyone in need; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/now-bring-what-we-have-into-common-stock-and-communicate-to-everyone/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [Among all the valuable things of this world, the word is the most precious. For in the word one can find a light which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/among-all-the-valuable-things-of-this-world-the-word-is-the-most/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More by John Powell > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [“The trouble with ancient history is that, as far as I can tell, the vast majority of it took place a hell of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/the-trouble-with-ancient-history-is-that-as-far-as-i-can-tell-the/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [There are only two potential tragedies in life, and dying young isn't one of them. These are the two real tragedies: If you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/there-are-only-two-potential-tragedies-in-life-and-dying-young-isn-t/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [God is to us like the sky to a small bird, which cannot see its outer limits and cannot reach its distant horizons, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/god-is-to-us-like-the-sky-to-a-small-bird-which-cannot-see-its-outer/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [He who has no inclination to learn more will be very apt to think that he knows enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/he-who-has-no-inclination-to-learn-more-will-be-very-apt-to-think/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [You just don't make decisions about what you're going to be like when you are old. I know that I am making that decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/you-just-don-t-make-decisions-about-what-you-re-going-to-be-like-when/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [A person can grow only as much as his horizon allows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/a-person-can-grow-only-as-much-as-his-horizon-allows/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [“It’s a shameful indictment of the shabby way we live nowadays, but we have to face the fact that most of you won’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/it-s-a-shameful-indictment-of-the-shabby-way-we-live-nowadays-but-we/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [Growth is always a gradual process, a bridge slowly crossed and not a corner sharply turned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/growth-is-always-a-gradual-process-a-bridge-slowly-crossed-and-not-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [It is essential that our love be liberating, not possessive. We must at all times give those we love the freedom to be themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/it-is-essential-that-our-love-be-liberating-not-possessive-we-must-at/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [You can't reinvent yourself for every movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/you-can-t-reinvent-yourself-for-every-movie/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [“But why should a flute make a sound which is smoother and less complex than that of a violin or oboe? To answer this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/but-why-should-a-flute-make-a-sound-which-is-smoother-and-less/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [Our lives are shaped by those who love us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/our-lives-are-shaped-by-those-who-love-us/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [Attitudes are capable of making the same experience either pleasant or painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/attitudes-are-capable-of-making-the-same-experience-either-pleasant/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [The only love worthy of a name is unconditional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/the-only-love-worthy-of-a-name-is-unconditional/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) [Explore all 53 John Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) ## More Calling quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) [Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God isn't calling us to a lonely, joyless existence with the promise of a delayed reward. God is calling us to live, to love and enjoy the challenge. God's formulas are roadmaps to freedom and peace. God is saying to us: \"The only way to live is to be free. So save your heart for love and save your love for persons. Don't ever let any 'thing' own you. 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