--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At that instant he knew that all his…" description: "\"At that instant he knew that all his doubts, even the impossibility of believing with his reason, of which he was aware in himself, did not in the leas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/leo-tolstoy-55_believe_at-that-instant-he-knew-that-all-his-dou_1480959.jpg" --- # At that instant he knew that all his doubts, even the… ![“At that instant he knew that all his doubts, even the impossibility of believing with his reason, of which he was aware in himself, did not in the least hinder his turning to God. All of that now floated out of his soul like dust. To whom was he to turn if not to Him in whose hands he felt…” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/leo-tolstoy-55_believe_at-that-instant-he-knew-that-all-his-dou_1480959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/leo-tolstoy-55_believe_at-that-instant-he-knew-that-all-his-dou_1480959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/leo-tolstoy-55_believe_at-that-instant-he-knew-that-all-his-dou_1480959.jpg) > “At that instant he knew that all his doubts, even the impossibility of believing with his reason, of which he was aware in himself, did not in the least hinder his turning to God. All of that now floated out of his soul like dust. To whom was he to turn if not to Him in whose hands he felt himself, his soul, and his love?” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realizes that rational doubts cannot stop his spiritual turn toward God, feeling his soul and love in divine hands. **In simple terms:** Reason can’t block faith; he turns to God. Key Takeaway Trust divine guidance despite doubts. Themes faith spirituality inner conflict Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - spiritual awakening - seeking purpose Key Concepts divine trust existential resolve Questions to Reflect On - How do doubts shape your spiritual path? - What does “turning to God” mean for you? A Different Perspective Faith may not resolve practical problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Impossibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossibility/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [“Lord have mercy! Pardon and help us!" he repeated the words that suddenly and unexpectedly sprang to his lips. And he, an unbeliever, repeated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/lord-have-mercy-pardon-and-help-us-he-repeated-the-words-that/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Who really knew what doubts and conflicts raged within people? The dangerous ones were those who felt no conflicts at all. They were not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-kollender/who-really-knew-what-doubts-and-conflicts-raged-within-people-the/) [Andreas Kollender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-kollender/) > [“He believes, but he does not believe: the impossibility of believing is the impossibility which he accepts most reluctantly, but still it is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-wilson/he-believes-but-he-does-not-believe-the-impossibility-of-believing-is/) [Edmund Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-wilson/) > [It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/it-is-my-judgment-therefore-that-we-should-not-make-it-difficult-for/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“all evaluations eventually boil down to this: Am I moving toward God or away from Him? Am I turning toward God with awe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-allender/all-evaluations-eventually-boil-down-to-this-am-i-moving-toward-god/) [Dan Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-allender/) > [“turning to God gives people a sense of being enveloped in loving arms that are eternal and ultimately strong. People need to know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/turning-to-god-gives-people-a-sense-of-being-enveloped-in-loving-arms/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Dear me! I must be turning into a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vespasian/dear-me-i-must-be-turning-into-a-god/) [Vespasian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vespasian/) > [“IV. When those that we have formerly been conversant with are turning to God, and to his people, their example ought to influence us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/iv-when-those-that-we-have-formerly-been-conversant-with-are-turning/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Turning God into some kind of celestial insurance policy is just mental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/turning-god-into-some-kind-of-celestial-insurance-policy-is-just/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [“There's nothing cool about turning against God. There's nothing fun or cute or right about compromising who God wanted you to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/there-s-nothing-cool-about-turning-against-god-there-s-nothing-fun-or/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“When those that we have formerly been conversant with, are turning to God, and joining themselves to his people, it ought to be our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/when-those-that-we-have-formerly-been-conversant-with-are-turning-to/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Woe is me. Me thinks I'm turning into a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vespasian/woe-is-me-me-thinks-i-m-turning-into-a-god/) [Vespasian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vespasian/) > [Do you struggle with confusion? Not knowing which way to go? Here's why: We turn to means (help of creation, our own mind) before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/do-you-struggle-with-confusion-not-knowing-which-way-to-go-here-s-why/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [When God saw that people, instead of turning to God, were turning to the medicine cabinet, God made himself available in the medicine cabinet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalman-schachter-shalomi/when-god-saw-that-people-instead-of-turning-to-god-were-turning-to/) [Zalman Schachter-Shalomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalman-schachter-shalomi/) > [A Christian cannot help being free, because in the pursuit and attainment of his object, no one can either hinder or retard him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/a-christian-cannot-help-being-free-because-in-the-pursuit-and/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At that instant he knew that all his doubts, even the impossibility of believing with his reason, of which he was aware in himself, did not in the least hinder his turning to God. All of that now floated out of his soul like dust. 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