--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never did get around to praying for…" description: "\"“I never did get around to praying for myself, did I? Maybe that's what was behind it, though. Myself. Maybe the only reason I'd prayed for others to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e9/markus-zusak-165_prayed_i-never-did-get-around-to-praying-for-my_277221.png" --- # I never did get around to praying for myself, did I? Maybe… ![“I never did get around to praying for myself, did I? Maybe that's what was behind it, though. Myself. Maybe the only reason I'd prayed for others to begin with was to bring myself good fortune. Was that true? Was it?” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e9/markus-zusak-165_prayed_i-never-did-get-around-to-praying-for-my_277221.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e9/markus-zusak-165_prayed_i-never-did-get-around-to-praying-for-my_277221.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e9/markus-zusak-165_prayed_i-never-did-get-around-to-praying-for-my_277221.png) > ““I never did get around to praying for myself, did I? Maybe that's what was behind it, though. Myself. Maybe the only reason I'd prayed for others to begin with was to bring myself good fortune. Was that true? Was it?”” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on praying for others to gain personal benefit, questioning the sincerity of their motives. **In simple terms:** Praying for others may hide selfish desires. Key Takeaway Examine the true motives behind your actions. Themes motivation selfishness faith Mood introspective conflicted Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - relationship building - self‑assessment Key Concepts psychology ethics literature Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes seek personal gain through helping others? - Can altruism be pure? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can coexist with genuine care, complicating moral judgments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Did Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-praying-2697854/) [Prayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayed/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Praying Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying-did-2262076/) [Reason Prayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-prayed-2697855/) [Slef-awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slef-awareness-171900/) ## Related quotes > [“Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he laughs with his children, and plays on the shore with them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-prayed-when-he-laughs-with-his/) [Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/) > [“Coming to terms with the reality of your mess is halfway through to freedom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mangwende/coming-to-terms-with-the-reality-of-your-mess-is-halfway-through-to/) [Edgar Mangwende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mangwende/) > [Job's friends chose the right time to visit him, but took not the right course of improving their visit; had they spent the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/job-s-friends-chose-the-right-time-to-visit-him-but-took-not-the/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“The English, thought Kate, obviously regarded praying much as they did a necessary physical function, something best done in private. Dalgliesh apologized for interrupting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/the-english-thought-kate-obviously-regarded-praying-much-as-they-did/) [P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/) > [Before every game he played Willie Ofahengaue would pray. But it to us it was never clear whether he prayed for himself or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-fitzsimons/before-every-game-he-played-willie-ofahengaue-would-pray-but-it-to-us/) [Peter FitzSimons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-fitzsimons/) > [Please, God,' Ruth would pray, 'don't let me be competitive. Let me realize what a privilege it is to study. Let me remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/please-god-ruth-would-pray-don-t-let-me-be-competitive-let-me-realize/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [As a young man I prayed for success. Now I just pray to be worthy of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-fraser/as-a-young-man-i-prayed-for-success-now-i-just-pray-to-be-worthy-of-it/) [Brendan Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-fraser/) > [That night, I thanked God for seeing me through that day of days and prayed I would make it through D plus 1. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-winters/that-night-i-thanked-god-for-seeing-me-through-that-day-of-days-and/) [Richard Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-winters/) > [How many times have you prayed or asked or said you needed help, when suddenly somebody showed up in your life? We are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/how-many-times-have-you-prayed-or-asked-or-said-you-needed-help-when/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [We must learn to let go, to give up, to make room for the things we have prayed for and desired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fillmore/we-must-learn-to-let-go-to-give-up-to-make-room-for-the-things-we/) [Charles Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fillmore/) > [“At the time, I prayed to God only intermittently, and then mainly to ask for things, such as: “Please let me get an A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-martin/at-the-time-i-prayed-to-god-only-intermittently-and-then-mainly-to/) [James Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-martin/) > [“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/and-when-they-had-prayed-the-place-where-they-were-assembled-together/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [In the beginning, people prayed to the Creatress of Life, the Mistress of Heaven. At the very dawn of religion, God was a woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-stone/in-the-beginning-people-prayed-to-the-creatress-of-life-the-mistress/) [Merlin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-stone/) > [“She prayed for that all through the night, uncertain to Whom or what, but with a feeling that almost resembled faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-jordan/she-prayed-for-that-all-through-the-night-uncertain-to-whom-or-what/) [Hillary Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-jordan/) > [“However, as he began his prayer, she couldn’t think about anything but the warm pressure of his hands against hers. His fingers were strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/however-as-he-began-his-prayer-she-couldn-t-think-about-anything-but/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Prayed quotes > [“However, as he began his prayer, she couldn’t think about anything but the warm pressure of his hands against hers. His fingers were strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/however-as-he-began-his-prayer-she-couldn-t-think-about-anything-but/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“She prayed for that all through the night, uncertain to Whom or what, but with a feeling that almost resembled faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-jordan/she-prayed-for-that-all-through-the-night-uncertain-to-whom-or-what/) [Hillary Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-jordan/) > [In the beginning, people prayed to the Creatress of Life, the Mistress of Heaven. At the very dawn of religion, God was a woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-stone/in-the-beginning-people-prayed-to-the-creatress-of-life-the-mistress/) [Merlin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-stone/) > [“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/and-when-they-had-prayed-the-place-where-they-were-assembled-together/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [“At the time, I prayed to God only intermittently, and then mainly to ask for things, such as: “Please let me get an A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-martin/at-the-time-i-prayed-to-god-only-intermittently-and-then-mainly-to/) [James Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-martin/) > [We must learn to let go, to give up, to make room for the things we have prayed for and desired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fillmore/we-must-learn-to-let-go-to-give-up-to-make-room-for-the-things-we/) [Charles Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fillmore/) > [How many times have you prayed or asked or said you needed help, when suddenly somebody showed up in your life? We are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/how-many-times-have-you-prayed-or-asked-or-said-you-needed-help-when/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [That night, I thanked God for seeing me through that day of days and prayed I would make it through D plus 1. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-winters/that-night-i-thanked-god-for-seeing-me-through-that-day-of-days-and/) [Richard Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-winters/) > [She told me that all the girls in Annezin prayed every night for the war to end and for the English to go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/she-told-me-that-all-the-girls-in-annezin-prayed-every-night-for-the/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“God's forgot that ever I lived... He's forgot...and He never cared, nohow…" He smoothed her brown, rough-palmed hand; he held her hands to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-miller/god-s-forgot-that-ever-i-lived-he-s-forgot-and-he-never-cared-nohow/) [Caroline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-miller/) > [I knew I wanted to be used by God in big ways. I always prayed He would trust me enough to use me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-robertson/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-used-by-god-in-big-ways-i-always-prayed-he/) [Kay Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-robertson/) > [“And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-l-reynolds/and-he-came-out-and-went-as-he-was-wont-to-the-mount-of-olives-and/) [Benjamin L. Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-l-reynolds/) > [Sometimes I prayed for Baby Jesus to make me good, but Baby Jesus didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/sometimes-i-prayed-for-baby-jesus-to-make-me-good-but-baby-jesus-didn/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [A sound mind in a sound body is a thing to be prayed for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/a-sound-mind-in-a-sound-body-is-a-thing-to-be-prayed-for/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [“Maybe if we all prayed for somebody else, somehow we'd all be forgiven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-bavati/maybe-if-we-all-prayed-for-somebody-else-somehow-we-d-all-be-forgiven/) [Robyn Bavati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-bavati/) [Browse all 430 Prayed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I never did get around to praying for myself, did I? 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