--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Satan demands to sift us like sand…" description: "\"“Satan demands to sift us like sand through his fingers, and God, knowing everything, allows it.”\" — Mark Richard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg" --- # Satan demands to sift us like sand through his fingers… ![“Satan demands to sift us like sand through his fingers, and God, knowing everything, allows it.” quote by Mark Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg) > ““Satan demands to sift us like sand through his fingers, and God, knowing everything, allows it.”” Mark Richard ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that suffering is allowed by a higher power, while evil is actively filtered out. **In simple terms:** God lets hardships happen, Satan tries to break us. Key Takeaway Find meaning in challenges. Themes faith suffering divine will Mood contemplative serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - spiritual reflection - ethical debates Key Concepts theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile suffering with belief in a benevolent deity? - What role does free will play? A Different Perspective Interpretations vary across religions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Satan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satan/) ## Related quotes > [“Socrates held up his hands, wiggling his fingers. "God gave me these hands to change the world, one child at a time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-phoenix/socrates-held-up-his-hands-wiggling-his-fingers-god-gave-me-these/) [Red Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-phoenix/) > [“I prefer them broken.' 'Why is that?' Victor said. Dor looked at the grain of sand in his fingers. 'Because I am the sinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-prefer-them-broken-why-is-that-victor-said-dor-looked-at-the-grain/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“You’re like sand through my fingers, you are. Trying to keep tabs on a ghoul would be easier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/you-re-like-sand-through-my-fingers-you-are-trying-to-keep-tabs-on-a/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [If God is all knowing why did He create Satan whom He knew would fall?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-god-is-all-knowing-why-did-he-create-satan-whom-he-knew-would-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God is not only all-knowing but all-not-telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/god-is-not-only-all-knowing-but-all-not-telling/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [“Placing all hope in God. Knowing that God is in control allows us to wait patiently for him to rescue us. True relief does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/placing-all-hope-in-god-knowing-that-god-is-in-control-allows-us-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/faith-is-not-believing-that-god-can-it-is-knowing-that-god-will/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [If there's one thing that really annoys a god, it's not knowing something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-there-s-one-thing-that-really-annoys-a-god-it-s-not-knowing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [So we can only know God well by knowing our iniquities. Therefore those who have known God, without knowing their wretchedness, have not glorified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/so-we-can-only-know-god-well-by-knowing-our-iniquities-therefore/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [No one can desire the love of God without first knowing human love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/no-one-can-desire-the-love-of-god-without-first-knowing-human-love/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“GERTRUDE Gertrude Appleman, 1901-1976 God is all-knowing, all-present, and almighty. --A Catechism of Christian Doctrine I wish that all the people who peddle God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-appleman/gertrude-gertrude-appleman-1901-1976-god-is-all-knowing-all-present/) [Philip Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-appleman/) > [If God is all knowing and he knows our future, then how is that free will?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-god-is-all-knowing-and-he-knows-our-future-then-how-is-that-free/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I've learned that sometimes I have to give up my right to know and simply believe that God's knowing is enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-lewis/i-ve-learned-that-sometimes-i-have-to-give-up-my-right-to-know-and/) [Beverly Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-lewis/) > [“When and how the most painful of situations is going to be resolved and redeemed is no mystery to God. Knowing this truth about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/when-and-how-the-most-painful-of-situations-is-going-to-be-resolved/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“If, therefore, in the present time also, God, knowing the number of those who will not believe, since He foreknows all things, has given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/if-therefore-in-the-present-time-also-god-knowing-the-number-of-those/) The Church Fathers ## More by Mark Richard > [A defeated nation is always explaining itself. That's why the best storytellers are always from vanquished nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-richard/a-defeated-nation-is-always-explaining-itself-that-s-why-the-best/) Mark Richard > [That's the real excellent scary part, that feeling, and that feeling won't come if the lady from next door is there and your mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-richard/that-s-the-real-excellent-scary-part-that-feeling-and-that-feeling/) Mark Richard Explore all 3 Mark Richard quotes ## More Devil quotes > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present us with objects of desire to awaken our power of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/and-so-it-is-that-both-the-devil-and-the-angelic-spirit-present-us/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”—Charles Baudelaire “The second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-greatest-trick-the-devil-ever-pulled-was-convincing-the-world-he/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) [Browse all 4,283 Devil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Satan demands to sift us like sand through his fingers, and God, knowing everything, allows it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Richard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-richard/satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-through-his-fingers-and-god/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-richard/satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-through-his-fingers-and-god/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/mark-richard-79227_quote_satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-throu_1940009.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Satan demands to sift us like sand through his fingers, and God, knowing everything, allows it.” — Mark Richard", "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": "Mark Richard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-richard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Satan demands to sift us like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-richard/satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-through-his-fingers-and-god/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-richard/satan-demands-to-sift-us-like-sand-through-his-fingers-and-god/#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 } } ] } ```