--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don’t like death. We’d rather produce…" description: "\"“We don’t like death. We’d rather produce seeds another way. But death to ourselves, our agendas, our expectations, our hopes is necessary to find deep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/mary-e-demuth-16237_agenda_we-don-t-like-death-we-d-rather-produce_835594.jpg" --- # We don’t like death. We’d rather produce seeds another… ![“We don’t like death. We’d rather produce seeds another way. But death to ourselves, our agendas, our expectations, our hopes is necessary to find deep joy that comes when we fully relinquish ourselves to the gospel.” quote by Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/mary-e-demuth-16237_agenda_we-don-t-like-death-we-d-rather-produce_835594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/mary-e-demuth-16237_agenda_we-don-t-like-death-we-d-rather-produce_835594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/mary-e-demuth-16237_agenda_we-don-t-like-death-we-d-rather-produce_835594.jpg) > ““We don’t like death. We’d rather produce seeds another way. But death to ourselves, our agendas, our expectations, our hopes is necessary to find deep joy that comes when we fully relinquish ourselves to the gospel.”” [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embracing personal surrender and letting go of egoic expectations opens a path to profound spiritual joy. **In simple terms:** Letting go of self‑interest leads to deep joy. Key Takeaway Release control to experience true happiness. Themes spirituality letting go joy Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation retreats - spiritual counseling - personal crisis - creative surrender Key Concepts self‑transcendence gospel inner peace Questions to Reflect On - What does “death to ourselves” mean for you? - How can you practice surrender without losing self‑care? A Different Perspective May be interpreted as encouraging self‑destruction rather than healthy surrender. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Let go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-go/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Eric Peters is a chronicler of his journey; he's been a faithful steward of the story God is telling through him, and this newest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-peterson/eric-peters-is-a-chronicler-of-his-journey-he-s-been-a-faithful/) [Andrew Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-peterson/) > [“Choosing to unconditionally love others is a path to deep joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/choosing-to-unconditionally-love-others-is-a-path-to-deep-joy/) [Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/) > [The deep joy we take in the company of people with whom we have just recently fallen in love is undisguisable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/the-deep-joy-we-take-in-the-company-of-people-with-whom-we-have-just/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I have drunken deep of joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-have-drunken-deep-of-joy/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The deep hurt is the mirror image of the deep joy that still awaits you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-c-hafen/the-deep-hurt-is-the-mirror-image-of-the-deep-joy-that-still-awaits/) [Bruce C. Hafen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-c-hafen/) > [Deep joy is a serene and sober emotion, rarely evinced in open merriment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-roland/deep-joy-is-a-serene-and-sober-emotion-rarely-evinced-in-open/) [Madame Roland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-roland/) > [Embracing life means being unafraid to feel both deep sadness and deep joy. Sometimes at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/embracing-life-means-being-unafraid-to-feel-both-deep-sadness-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am finding deep joy in depending on Christ for the guidance only He can provide as He produces the fruit of gospel in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/i-am-finding-deep-joy-in-depending-on-christ-for-the-guidance-only-he/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [As we learn to give thanks for all of life and death, for all of this given world of ours, we find a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/as-we-learn-to-give-thanks-for-all-of-life-and-death-for-all-of-this/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Each encounter with Jesus fills us with joy, with that deep joy which only God can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/each-encounter-with-jesus-fills-us-with-joy-with-that-deep-joy-which/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Your vocation lies in the intersection of the world's deep need and your deep joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/your-vocation-lies-in-the-intersection-of-the-world-s-deep-need-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I have drunken deep of joy, And I will taste no other wine tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-have-drunken-deep-of-joy-and-i-will-taste-no-other-wine-tonight/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Art awakens a sense of real by establishing an intimate relationship between our inner being and the universe at large, bringing us a consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/art-awakens-a-sense-of-real-by-establishing-an-intimate-relationship/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Most of all, I am struck by an irony central to the lot of a purebred dog: As it attains the hallmarks of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hanff-korelitz/most-of-all-i-am-struck-by-an-irony-central-to-the-lot-of-a-purebred/) [Jean Hanff Korelitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hanff-korelitz/) > [You can be debased without relinquishing your identity, just as you can relinquish your identity without being debased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fisher/you-can-be-debased-without-relinquishing-your-identity-just-as-you/) [Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fisher/) ## More by Mary E. DeMuth > [“It’s never easy letting go. But if we don’t learn the art of relinquishment, we’ll never move forward to embrace the new relationships God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/it-s-never-easy-letting-go-but-if-we-don-t-learn-the-art-of/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [Growth comes from God, to those with surrendered, yielded hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/growth-comes-from-god-to-those-with-surrendered-yielded-hearts/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [“When Jesus isn’t our everything, our enough, we pursue every other thing that fills.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/when-jesus-isn-t-our-everything-our-enough-we-pursue-every-other/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [Jesus often calls us to risk. He asks us to be vulnerable, to be authentic, so others can see Him in and through us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/jesus-often-calls-us-to-risk-he-asks-us-to-be-vulnerable-to-be/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [We cannot let the haters of this world define us. Or frighten us into no longer being ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/we-cannot-let-the-haters-of-this-world-define-us-or-frighten-us-into/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [“The Gospel isn’t a life management program. It shouldn’t merely be the crutch we fall on when life gets ugly. It should be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/the-gospel-isn-t-a-life-management-program-it-shouldn-t-merely-be-the/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [A broken person understands she needs rescue, and she depends on God to resurrect and deliver. 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DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [The roadblocks to growth and joy come when we forget the bigness of God & instead make people bigger than He is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/the-roadblocks-to-growth-and-joy-come-when-we-forget-the-bigness-of/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [“Sometimes we control our family members because we idolize and idealize our perfect plan over the journey that God has laid out for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/sometimes-we-control-our-family-members-because-we-idolize-and/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [God's heart…is not that we escape our lot, but that we learn to thrive in the midst of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/god-s-heart-is-not-that-we-escape-our-lot-but-that-we-learn-to-thrive/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [Worry is a weighty monster with poisoned tentacles. It clutches at us, grabs at our minds, steals our breath, our will. It lurks. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/worry-is-a-weighty-monster-with-poisoned-tentacles-it-clutches-at-us/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [“We enslave in the manner we talk to ourselves. But the truth is, God already set us free. He secured our release. To constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/we-enslave-in-the-manner-we-talk-to-ourselves-but-the-truth-is-god/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [“Jesus wastes none of our stories, even our tales of woe. He transforms them into epic adventures where we dare to face our past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/jesus-wastes-none-of-our-stories-even-our-tales-of-woe-he-transforms/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) [Explore all 40 Mary E. DeMuth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) ## More Agenda quotes > [It's when someone has an agenda of their own for the record that it doesn't work for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/it-s-when-someone-has-an-agenda-of-their-own-for-the-record-that-it/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Realizing that they can't get their agenda across: against religious liberty, against a culture of life, they can't get those issues across through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-parsley/realizing-that-they-can-t-get-their-agenda-across-against-religious/) [Rod Parsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-parsley/) > [Hypocrisy is a detriment to progress. There's always a hidden agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-flynt/hypocrisy-is-a-detriment-to-progress-there-s-always-a-hidden-agenda/) [Larry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-flynt/) > [I didn't want to go marching down the street with camera crews. Oy. To get married? Really? It seems like you have an agenda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-didn-t-want-to-go-marching-down-the-street-with-camera-crews-oy-to/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I'm not afraid of having an agenda. I do have an agenda. It's a positive agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-not-afraid-of-having-an-agenda-i-do-have-an-agenda-it-s-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I think in some ways we have allowed other people to set the agenda. 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