--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must give up the silly idea of folding…" description: "\"We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have gi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png" --- # We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and… ![“We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have given us a mind. Whatever you want in life, you must make up your mind to do it for yourself.” quote by Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png) > “We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have given us a mind. Whatever you want in life, you must make up your mind to do it for yourself.” [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-reliance requires active decision‑making; waiting passively for divine intervention hinders progress. **In simple terms:** Take charge, don't wait for miracles. Key Takeaway Actively pursue goals with purpose. Themes self‑reliance faith action Mood determined inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career planning - entrepreneurship - personal development - community projects Key Concepts personal agency spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What steps will you take toward your goal today? - How do you integrate faith with personal effort? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self‑reliance may neglect collaborative support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Do it yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-it-yourself/) [Folding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folding/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-mind-1462212/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [God Intended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-intended/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Intended Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intended-given-3920773/) [Make up your mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-up-your-mind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waiting God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-god/) [Waiting on god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-on-god/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-life/) ## Related quotes > [“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-do-know-that-waiting-on-god-requires-the-willingness-to-bear/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“So I'm waiting for God, and God is waiting for me to see if I am really waiting for him, and not just wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-greig/so-i-m-waiting-for-god-and-god-is-waiting-for-me-to-see-if-i-am/) [Pete Greig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-greig/) > [All around the world, we are gazing skyward waiting for God… Never realizing that God is waiting for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/all-around-the-world-we-are-gazing-skyward-waiting-for-god-never/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [A security guard was found sleeping at work. He was fired on the spot. He cried a lot. Then a young man saw him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arcine-arciniegas/a-security-guard-was-found-sleeping-at-work-he-was-fired-on-the-spot/) [Arcine Arciniegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arcine-arciniegas/) > [Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-campbell-morgan/waiting-for-god-is-not-laziness-waiting-for-god-is-not-the/) [G. Campbell Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-campbell-morgan/) > [“you and I can give in to is running ahead of God to make it look as though we are telling God what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/you-and-i-can-give-in-to-is-running-ahead-of-god-to-make-it-look-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [If you're waiting with God, waiting is okay. If you're always waiting on God, you'll be frustrated. God never seems to work at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/if-you-re-waiting-with-god-waiting-is-okay-if-you-re-always-waiting/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [I'm just waiting for God to tell me what to do, but whatever it is, I want to be doing something like I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/i-m-just-waiting-for-god-to-tell-me-what-to-do-but-whatever-it-is-i/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [“Waiting on God, according to Scripture, is not a passive, vacuous state but rather an active process of asking, seeking and engaging with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-greig/waiting-on-god-according-to-scripture-is-not-a-passive-vacuous-state/) [Pete Greig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-greig/) > [“There's a difference between waiting with patient expectation, and waiting because you never know what God will do. If you don't know how God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/there-s-a-difference-between-waiting-with-patient-expectation-and/) [Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/) > [You can save a lot of time waiting on God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/you-can-save-a-lot-of-time-waiting-on-god/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [The people of God are not merely to mark time, waiting for God to step in and set right all that is wrong. Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-people-of-god-are-not-merely-to-mark-time-waiting-for-god-to-step/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t wait around waiting for God to do something that He’s already given you the power to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/don-t-wait-around-waiting-for-god-to-do-something-that-he-s-already/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [You are just one idea away from what you sow in your brains, in your prophecies that God spoke over your life. You're one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/you-are-just-one-idea-away-from-what-you-sow-in-your-brains-in-your/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [Prayer is more like listening than anything else...being quiet in God's presence, waiting on God until we know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-roper/prayer-is-more-like-listening-than-anything-else-being-quiet-in-god-s/) [David Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-roper/) ## More by Marcus Garvey > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [We welcome the opposition of the world, because we are determined to see the battle through. Africa's battle-cry is not yet heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/we-welcome-the-opposition-of-the-world-because-we-are-determined-to/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [Wake up Ethiopia! Wake up Africa! Let us work towards the one glorious end of a free, redeemed and mighty nation. Let Africa be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/wake-up-ethiopia-wake-up-africa-let-us-work-towards-the-one-glorious/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [The thing to do is to get organized; keep separated and you will be exploited, you will be robbed, you will be killed. Get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/the-thing-to-do-is-to-get-organized-keep-separated-and-you-will-be/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [If you get up everyday and you don't learn you are a fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/if-you-get-up-everyday-and-you-don-t-learn-you-are-a-fool/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [It is only the belief and the confidence we have in a God why man is able to understand his own social institutions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/it-is-only-the-belief-and-the-confidence-we-have-in-a-god-why-man-is/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [Behind the murder of millions of Negroes annually in Africa is the well organized system of exploitation by the alien intruders who desire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/behind-the-murder-of-millions-of-negroes-annually-in-africa-is-the/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [Every man has a right to his own opinion. Every race has a right to its own action; therefore let no man persuade you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/every-man-has-a-right-to-his-own-opinion-every-race-has-a-right-to/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [Do not remove the kinks from your hair--remove them from your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/do-not-remove-the-kinks-from-your-hair-remove-them-from-your-brain/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [I have no desire to take all black people back to Africa; there are blacks who are no good here and will likewise be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/i-have-no-desire-to-take-all-black-people-back-to-africa-there-are/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [God does not... give people positions or jobs or... good conditions such as they desire; they must do that for themselves.. God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/god-does-not-give-people-positions-or-jobs-or-good-conditions-such-as/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [Black men, you were once great; you shall be great again. Lose not courage or faith, go forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/black-men-you-were-once-great-you-shall-be-great-again-lose-not/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [This propaganda of dis-associating Western Negroes from Africa is not a new one. For many years white propagandists have been printing tons of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/this-propaganda-of-dis-associating-western-negroes-from-africa-is-not/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [There can be no peace among men and nations, so long as the strong continues to oppress the weak, so long as injustice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/there-can-be-no-peace-among-men-and-nations-so-long-as-the-strong/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/take-advantage-of-every-opportunity-where-there-is-none-make-it-for/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) [Explore all 139 Marcus Garvey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) ## More Do it yourself quotes > [It's funny, everything is so much easier when you do it yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/it-s-funny-everything-is-so-much-easier-when-you-do-it-yourself/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [The more we sense...our ultimate potential, the more determined we become to achieve it. It's the difference between your mother hounding you to practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/the-more-we-sense-our-ultimate-potential-the-more-determined-we/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > ['Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/untitled-is-a-time-machine-that-can-transport-you-to-1992-an-edgy/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [“There is no better insurance than the knowledge of how to do something the right way. There is no greater peace of mind than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-g-west/there-is-no-better-insurance-than-the-knowledge-of-how-to-do/) [Jerry G. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-g-west/) > [Buy less, choose well & do it yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/buy-less-choose-well-do-it-yourself/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [The whole punk ethic was do-it-yourself, and I've always been very literal, especially as a kid. When they said that anybody can do this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/the-whole-punk-ethic-was-do-it-yourself-and-i-ve-always-been-very/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [When a writer becomes a reader of his or her own work, a lot can go wrong. It's like do-it-yourself dentistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-collins/when-a-writer-becomes-a-reader-of-his-or-her-own-work-a-lot-can-go/) [William Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-collins/) > [You can find a lot of reasonable buys at Wal-Mart. But one key to making it on a budget is by donating your time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/you-can-find-a-lot-of-reasonable-buys-at-wal-mart-but-one-key-to/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/it-takes-half-your-life-before-you-discover-life-is-a-do-it-yourself/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Letter from Mr. B: Why does a back scratch feel better coming from somebody else than if you do it yourself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/letter-from-mr-b-why-does-a-back-scratch-feel-better-coming-from/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [Here I sit, sober and perhaps even lucid, on the sort of winter's day that makes you realize a New Year is just around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-laughner/here-i-sit-sober-and-perhaps-even-lucid-on-the-sort-of-winter-s-day/) [Peter Laughner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-laughner/) > [“To become a better you, look nowhere else for another alarm to blow before you wake up. Get up and rise up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/to-become-a-better-you-look-nowhere-else-for-another-alarm-to-blow/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [We've always been do-it-yourself. In that we've had complete control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-woodward/we-ve-always-been-do-it-yourself-in-that-we-ve-had-complete-control/) [Keren Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-woodward/) > [Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It’s quite possible to do anything, but not if you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/produce-your-own-dream-if-you-want-to-save-peru-go-save-peru-it-s/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I think one of the both liberating and terrifying prospects from synthetic biology for example is that you are going to have all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/i-think-one-of-the-both-liberating-and-terrifying-prospects-from/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) [Browse all 141 Do it yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-it-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have given us a mind. Whatever you want in life, you must make up your mind to do it for yourself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Garvey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-folding-our-hands-and-waiting-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Do it yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-folding-our-hands-and-waiting-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/marcus-garvey-3106_do-it-yourself_we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-foldin_448749.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had…” — Marcus Garvey", "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": "Marcus Garvey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must give up the silly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-folding-our-hands-and-waiting-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/we-must-give-up-the-silly-idea-of-folding-our-hands-and-waiting-on/#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 } } ] } ```