--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True prayer is not asking God for love…" description: "\"True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection.\" — Mary Baker Eddy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg" --- # True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to… ![“True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection.” quote by Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg) > “True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection.” [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer is not a request for personal love but a practice of cultivating universal love for all humanity. **In simple terms:** Prayer teaches loving everyone, not just asking for love. Key Takeaway Practice love for all, not just seeking it. Themes spirituality compassion universal love Mood reflective hopeful Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal meditation - community service - conflict resolution - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts Christian Science self‑transformation Questions to Reflect On - How can you extend love beyond your circle? - What barriers stop you from loving everyone? A Different Perspective May overlook personal needs and self‑care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Asking god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-god/) [Learning to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-to-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection. 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Osbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-w-osbeck/) > [“Sometimes, you have to shot block a friend's prayer because she's asking God to bless an obviously bad dating relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-shot-block-a-friend-s-prayer-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Prayer is not asking God to do something, it's asking God to help YOU do something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/prayer-is-not-asking-god-to-do-something-it-s-asking-god-to-help-you/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“Prayer is asking God to incarnate, to get dirty in your life. Yes, the eternal God scrubs floors. For sure we know he washes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-e-miller/prayer-is-asking-god-to-incarnate-to-get-dirty-in-your-life-yes-the/) [Paul E. 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Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [Learning to love back is the hardest part of being alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/learning-to-love-back-is-the-hardest-part-of-being-alive/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The first step in learning to love others is the attempt to understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-von-speyr/the-first-step-in-learning-to-love-others-is-the-attempt-to/) [Adrienne von Speyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-von-speyr/) > [There are many lessons to learn. Naming just one is next to impossible. However, learning to love and be loved is a good starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/there-are-many-lessons-to-learn-naming-just-one-is-next-to-impossible/) [Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/) > [I have been missing the point. The point is not knowing another person, or learning to love another person. The point is simply this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/i-have-been-missing-the-point-the-point-is-not-knowing-another-person/) [Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/) ## More by Mary Baker Eddy > [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Give up the belief that mind is, even temporarily, compressed within the skull, and you will quickly become more manly or womanly. You will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/give-up-the-belief-that-mind-is-even-temporarily-compressed-within/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [There is too much animal courage in society and not sufficient moral courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/there-is-too-much-animal-courage-in-society-and-not-sufficient-moral/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Mankind thinks either too much or too little of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/mankind-thinks-either-too-much-or-too-little-of-sin/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Ideas are spiritual, harmonious and eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/ideas-are-spiritual-harmonious-and-eternal/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Disease is an experience of a so-called mortal mind. 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Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Baker Eddy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-it-is-learning-to-love-and-to-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affection" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-it-is-learning-to-love-and-to-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/mary-baker-eddy-3714_affection_true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-i_1916910.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection.” — Mary Baker Eddy", "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": "Mary Baker Eddy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "True prayer is not asking God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-it-is-learning-to-love-and-to-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/true-prayer-is-not-asking-god-for-love-it-is-learning-to-love-and-to-2/#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 } } ] } ```