--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You should observe, and have observed, in…" description: "\"“You should observe, and have observed, in which direction God urges you most of all to go, for, as St. Paul says, not all people are called to follow ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/meister-eckhart-1044_different-ways_you-should-observe-and-have-observed-in_2407943.jpg" --- # You should observe, and have observed, in which direction… ![“You should observe, and have observed, in which direction God urges you most of all to go, for, as St. Paul says, not all people are called to follow the same path to God. If you find then that the shortest way for you does not lie in many outward works, great endurance and privation (which things…” quote by Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/meister-eckhart-1044_different-ways_you-should-observe-and-have-observed-in_2407943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/meister-eckhart-1044_different-ways_you-should-observe-and-have-observed-in_2407943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/meister-eckhart-1044_different-ways_you-should-observe-and-have-observed-in_2407943.jpg) > ““You should observe, and have observed, in which direction God urges you most of all to go, for, as St. Paul says, not all people are called to follow the same path to God. If you find then that the shortest way for you does not lie in many outward works, great endurance and privation (which things are in any case of little importance unless we are particularly called to them by God or unless we have sufficient strength to perform them without disrupting our inner life), if you do not find these things right for you, then be at peace and have little to do with them. But then you might say: if they are not important, why did our forebears, including many saints, do these things? Consider this: if our Lord gave them this particular kind of devotional practice, then he also gave them the strength to carry it through, and it was this which pleased him and which was their greatest achievement. For God has not linked our salvation with any particular kind of devotion . . . Not everyone can follow the same way, nor can all people follow only one way, nor can we follow all the different ways or everyone else's way . . . It is the same with following the severe life-style of such saints. You should love their way and find it appealing, even though you do not have to follow their example.”” [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine calling varies; personal spiritual paths differ, and one should follow the way God best fits each soul. **In simple terms:** Everyone has a unique spiritual path. Key Takeaway Seek the path that aligns with your inner calling. Themes spirituality individuality faith Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - religious practice - personal meditation - community worship - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts divine vocation personal discernment Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate your true spiritual direction? - How can you respect others’ paths while staying true to yours? A Different Perspective Risk of relativism, ignoring universal moral standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devotion Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion-follow-6051958/) [Different ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-ways/) [Follow Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-path/) [Follow Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-way-473515/) [Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following/) [God Urges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-urges-2711107/) [Inner life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/it-is-a-ruse-of-the-devil-by-which-he-deceives-good-people-to-induce/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [“Mum: I loved watching you work on it because you were concentrating so hard and it looked like you were enjoying it. Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-markham/mum-i-loved-watching-you-work-on-it-because-you-were-concentrating-so/) [Laura Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-markham/) > [The greatest virtue is to follow the Way utterly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-greatest-virtue-is-to-follow-the-way-utterly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Follow the way that your heart leads you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laine/follow-the-way-that-your-heart-leads-you/) [Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laine/) > [“But your way isn't just that set of rules,” Cord said. “It's who you are — you follow that way for bigger reasons. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/but-your-way-isn-t-just-that-set-of-rules-cord-said-it-s-who-you-are/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [I would follow you But see the way my account is set up. . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-crockett/i-would-follow-you-but-see-the-way-my-account-is-set-up/) [Deon Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-crockett/) > [Do something. Either lead, follow or get out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/do-something-either-lead-follow-or-get-out-of-the-way/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [I follow the way people change. I follow the way people, who are very antagonized to one another become very close to one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-follow-the-way-people-change-i-follow-the-way-people-who-are-very/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Three thing must follow You,Your way,Your Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/three-thing-must-follow-you-your-way-your-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do you hear what the music is saying? 'Come follow me and you will find the way. Your mistakes can also lead you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/do-you-hear-what-the-music-is-saying-come-follow-me-and-you-will-find/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Be inspired by others' ways, but don't follow others' ways; create your own way, follow your own way!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/be-inspired-by-others-ways-but-don-t-follow-others-ways-create-your/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Follow that will and that way which experience confirms to be your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/follow-that-will-and-that-way-which-experience-confirms-to-be-your-own/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/lead-me-follow-me-or-get-out-of-my-way/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Life will follow, it is up to me to show the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/life-will-follow-it-is-up-to-me-to-show-the-way/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [Sometimes you need to run to an unknown place just to see who will follow behind.. that way you'll know where you belong in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megannn/sometimes-you-need-to-run-to-an-unknown-place-just-to-see-who-will/) [Megannn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megannn/) ## More by Meister Eckhart > [God holds each of us by a string. When we sin, we cut the string. But God ties it up again, making a knot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-holds-each-of-us-by-a-string-when-we-sin-we-cut-the-string-but/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [When I think of God's Kingdom, I am compelled to be silent because of its immensity, because God's Kingdom is none other than God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/when-i-think-of-god-s-kingdom-i-am-compelled-to-be-silent-because-of/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Action and becoming are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/action-and-becoming-are-one/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Whoever wants to receive the body of our Lord does not need to scrutinize what they are feeling at the time or how great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/whoever-wants-to-receive-the-body-of-our-lord-does-not-need-to/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Nothing will be able to hinder us, if we desire and seek God alone, and take pleasure in nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/nothing-will-be-able-to-hinder-us-if-we-desire-and-seek-god-alone-and/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [ \[W\]e must come into a transformed knowing, an unknowing which comes not from ignorance but from knowledge. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/w-e-must-come-into-a-transformed-knowing-an-unknowing-which-comes-not/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [I need to be silent for awhile, worlds are forming in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/i-need-to-be-silent-for-awhile-worlds-are-forming-in-my-heart/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [One person who has mastered life is better than a thousand persons who have mastered only the contents of books, but no one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/one-person-who-has-mastered-life-is-better-than-a-thousand-persons/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“But where is this true possession of God, whereby we really possess him, to be found? This real possession of God is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/but-where-is-this-true-possession-of-god-whereby-we-really-possess/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [The most powerful prayer, one well-nigh omnipotent, and the worthiest work of all is the outcome of a quiet mind. The quieter it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/the-most-powerful-prayer-one-well-nigh-omnipotent-and-the-worthiest/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If we seek God for our own good and profit, we are not seeking God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-we-seek-god-for-our-own-good-and-profit-we-are-not-seeking-god/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Our bodily food is changed into us, but our spiritual food changes us into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/our-bodily-food-is-changed-into-us-but-our-spiritual-food-changes-us/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“Concerning this desert, Jeremiah writes: ‘I will lead my beloved into the wilderness and will speak to her in her heart’ (Hosea 2:14) .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/concerning-this-desert-jeremiah-writes-i-will-lead-my-beloved-into/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If the seal is pressed completely through the wax so that no wax remains without being impressed by the seal, then it becomes indistinguishably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-the-seal-is-pressed-completely-through-the-wax-so-that-no-wax/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Be ready at all times for the gifts of God, and always for new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/be-ready-at-all-times-for-the-gifts-of-god-and-always-for-new-ones/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) [Explore all 301 Meister Eckhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## More Different ways quotes > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. 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Ultimately, I think that being on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/skating-is-a-sport-that-i-found-a-lot-of-interest-in-from-a-very-very/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) > [I was going to say 'my friend Stuart', but I suppose he's not a friend any more. I seem to have lost a number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coe/i-was-going-to-say-my-friend-stuart-but-i-suppose-he-s-not-a-friend/) [Jonathan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coe/) > [I'll reshoot a corridor 13 different ways, and you'll never recognise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-ll-reshoot-a-corridor-13-different-ways-and-you-ll-never-recognise/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [She waited for you in a thousand different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/she-waited-for-you-in-a-thousand-different-ways/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [“5 Tips for Mirroring Others 1. Body language. When they smile, you smile. When they lean back in their chair, you lean back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/5-tips-for-mirroring-others-1-body-language-when-they-smile-you-smile/) [Susan C. 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