--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7" description: "\"“This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7”\" — Joni Eareckson Tada" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png" --- # This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7 ![“This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7” quote by Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png) > ““This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7”” [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In moments of helplessness, the inability to act can become a protective pause that prevents further harm. **In simple terms:** Being stuck can sometimes shield you from worse outcomes. Key Takeaway Accept that paralysis may serve a protective purpose. Themes vulnerability self‑preservation acceptance Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - health decisions - emotional overload Key Concepts psychology coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - When has a lack of action saved you? - How do you balance safety with progress? A Different Perspective The pause may also lead to missed opportunities or stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Greatest Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-mercy-2709331/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Paralysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paralysis/) [Paralysis Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paralysis-greatest-2709330/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest firmness is the greatest mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-greatest-firmness-is-the-greatest-mercy/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If you owe your bank manager a thousand pounds, you are at his mercy. If you owe him a million pounds, he is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/if-you-owe-your-bank-manager-a-thousand-pounds-you-are-at-his-mercy/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness Which is the swiftest of all things, all were eternal torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-time-s-swiftness-which-is-the/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [ \[In\] the national and religious conflict of the \[Byzantine and Saracen\] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-the-national-and-religious-conflict-of-the-byzantine-and-saracen/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [What's hard, it seems, is living up to the words spoken by Jesus Christ, who preached naught but love and mercy and justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/what-s-hard-it-seems-is-living-up-to-the-words-spoken-by-jesus-christ/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The living God is a God of justice and mercy and He will be satisfied with nothing less than a people in whom his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-living-god-is-a-god-of-justice-and-mercy-and-he-will-be-satisfied/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“The mercy of God's grace guides me in the right path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-mercy-of-god-s-grace-guides-me-in-the-right-path/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Rincewind could scream for mercy in nineteen languages, and just scream in another forty-four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/rincewind-could-scream-for-mercy-in-nineteen-languages-and-just/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I have often met with happiness after some imprudent step which ought to have brought ruin upon me, and although passing a vote of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/i-have-often-met-with-happiness-after-some-imprudent-step-which-ought/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) ## More by Joni Eareckson Tada > [“Joni discovered the best way to put the halter on her horse without being animal resisting and fleeing was to turn her back until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/joni-discovered-the-best-way-to-put-the-halter-on-her-horse-without/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/when-life-is-rosy-we-may-slide-by-with-knowing-about-jesus-with/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [If churches around the world would grasp the revolutionary truth that Christ's transforming power always comes through sacrifice and weakness, it would dramatically alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/if-churches-around-the-world-would-grasp-the-revolutionary-truth-that/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/let-him-who-walks-in-the-dark-who-has-no-light-trust-in-the-name-of/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [What a way to learn great theology! That's what comes to mind whenever I sing one of those old hymns. "And Can It Be"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/what-a-way-to-learn-great-theology-that-s-what-comes-to-mind-whenever/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [A broken life in the hands of God is ripe for blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/a-broken-life-in-the-hands-of-god-is-ripe-for-blessing/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [The success of God's Word in our lives is linked intrinsically to our application of its truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/the-success-of-god-s-word-in-our-lives-is-linked-intrinsically-to-our/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [No other religion, no other, promises new bodies, hearts, and minds. Only in the gospel of Christ do hurting people find such incredible hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/no-other-religion-no-other-promises-new-bodies-hearts-and-minds-only/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [“The more righteous God appeared, the more resentful I became.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/the-more-righteous-god-appeared-the-more-resentful-i-became/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [“Tada references the accusation in Jeremiah that the people have forsaken God as Living Water by remembering a hiking trip from her younger days.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/tada-references-the-accusation-in-jeremiah-that-the-people-have/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [Thankfully, God brought wise Christian friends alongside to help me discover life-transforming precepts in his Word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/thankfully-god-brought-wise-christian-friends-alongside-to-help-me/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [The Bible is replete with commands to persevere, especially in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/the-bible-is-replete-with-commands-to-persevere-especially-in-the/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [Many good Christians are confused about complex social issues of our day, such as doctor-assisted death or medical research which uses stem cells from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/many-good-christians-are-confused-about-complex-social-issues-of-our/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [The Bible isn't quick to give answers; it mainly gives the Answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/the-bible-isn-t-quick-to-give-answers-it-mainly-gives-the-answer/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [God is more concerned with conforming me to the likeness of His Son than leaving me in my comfort zones. God is more interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/god-is-more-concerned-with-conforming-me-to-the-likeness-of-his-son/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) [Explore all 144 Joni Eareckson Tada quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. 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Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joni Eareckson Tada" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/joni-eareckson-tada-2943_compassion_this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7-10_1076398.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7” — Joni Eareckson Tada", "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": "Joni Eareckson Tada", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This paralysis is my greatest mercy.7”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/this-paralysis-is-my-greatest-mercy-7/#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 } } ] } ```