--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a devout Baptist, she believed it was…" description: "\"“As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for anything for yourself. You ought to pray only for strength to bear whatever the Lord saw fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/margaret-laurence-15867_a-bird-in-the-house_as-a-devout-baptist-she-believed-it-was_1888716.jpg" --- # As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for… ![“As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for anything for yourself. You ought to pray only for strength to bear whatever the Lord saw fit to send you, she thought. I was never able to follow this advice, for although I would often feel a sense of uneasiness over the tone of my…” quote by Margaret Laurence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/margaret-laurence-15867_a-bird-in-the-house_as-a-devout-baptist-she-believed-it-was_1888716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/margaret-laurence-15867_a-bird-in-the-house_as-a-devout-baptist-she-believed-it-was_1888716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/margaret-laurence-15867_a-bird-in-the-house_as-a-devout-baptist-she-believed-it-was_1888716.jpg) > ““As a devout Baptist, she believed it was a sin to pray for anything for yourself. You ought to pray only for strength to bear whatever the Lord saw fit to send you, she thought. I was never able to follow this advice, for although I would often feel a sense of uneasiness over the tone of my prayers, I was the kind of person who prayed frantically-"Please, God, please, please, PLEASE let Ross MacVey like me better than Mavis.”” [Margaret Laurence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-laurence/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She believes prayers should be self‑less, yet struggles with personal desire, highlighting tension between religious doctrine and human longing. **In simple terms:** Prayer should be selfless, but desire persists. Key Takeaway Balance selfless faith with personal needs. Themes faith inner conflict desire Mood reflective conflicted Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - spiritual counseling - relationship issues Key Concepts religious doctrine personal longing prayer practice Questions to Reflect On - Can one pray selflessly and still ask for personal help? - What does this reveal about faith and desire? A Different Perspective Self‑less prayer may ignore genuine personal needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“I went upstairs to my room. Momentarily I felt a sense of calm, almost acceptance. Rest beyond the river. I knew now what that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-laurence/i-went-upstairs-to-my-room-momentarily-i-felt-a-sense-of-calm-almost/) [Margaret Laurence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-laurence/) > [“I stepped inside the front hall and kicked off my snow boots. 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Campbell Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-campbell-morgan/) > [“Merciful Father… I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ibn-fadlan/merciful-father-i-have-squandered-my-days-with-plans-of-many-things/) Ahmed Ibn Fadlan > [Prayer cannot truly be taught by principles and seminars and symposiums. It has to be born out of a whole environment of felt need.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/prayer-cannot-truly-be-taught-by-principles-and-seminars-and/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [We ought as much to pray for a blessing upon our daily rod as upon our daily bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/we-ought-as-much-to-pray-for-a-blessing-upon-our-daily-rod-as-upon/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. 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