--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is certain is that for thinking…" description: "\"What is certain is that for thinking believers to-day, faith is, before all and above all, wishing that God may exist.\" — Miguel de Unamuno" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png" --- # What is certain is that for thinking believers to-day… ![“What is certain is that for thinking believers to-day, faith is, before all and above all, wishing that God may exist.” quote by Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png) > “What is certain is that for thinking believers to-day, faith is, before all and above all, wishing that God may exist.” [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith is defined not by certainty but by the desire for God's existence, placing hope above proof. **In simple terms:** Faith is hope for God, not proof. Key Takeaway Cultivate hope beyond rational proof. Themes faith hope existentialism Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - spiritual practice - philosophical debate - personal crisis Key Concepts theology philosophy of belief Questions to Reflect On - What does believing without proof mean to you? - How do you reconcile doubt with hope? A Different Perspective Faith may conflict with empirical evidence, leading to cognitive dissonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believers/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Faith is, before all and above all, wishing God may exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/faith-is-before-all-and-above-all-wishing-god-may-exist/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [We live in a highly polarized society. We need to try to understand each other in respectful ways. To that end, I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/we-live-in-a-highly-polarized-society-we-need-to-try-to-understand/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Believing is easier than thinking; that's why there will always be more believers than thinkers. However, the results of god-belief are often far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/believing-is-easier-than-thinking-that-s-why-there-will-always-be/) [Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/) > [Every second you spend wishing God would take away a struggle is a forfeited opportunity to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/every-second-you-spend-wishing-god-would-take-away-a-struggle-is-a/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [“The words from The Microlight Pilot’s Handbook hammered in my temples. ‘It is better to be on the ground wishing to God you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-woodward/the-words-from-the-microlight-pilot-s-handbook-hammered-in-my-temples/) Antony Woodward > [He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-denies-the-existence-of-god-has-some-reason-for-wishing-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just take every day on faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/i-just-take-every-day-on-faith/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) > [Men will surrender to the spirit of the age. They will say that if they had lived in our day, faith would be simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-of-padua/men-will-surrender-to-the-spirit-of-the-age-they-will-say-that-if/) [Anthony of Padua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-of-padua/) > [“We need a quickening of faith; faith in the power of the God of Pentecost to convict and convert three thousand in a day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-colkmire/we-need-a-quickening-of-faith-faith-in-the-power-of-the-god-of-2/) [Lance Colkmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-colkmire/) > [Do every-day with faith and if it doesn't go well, then it wasn't faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/do-every-day-with-faith-and-if-it-doesn-t-go-well-then-it-wasn-t-faith/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [For me, my faith is a really big part of my life, and it is important for me to walk it out every day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-young/for-me-my-faith-is-a-really-big-part-of-my-life-and-it-is-important/) [Ashley Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-young/) > [“Day-to-day faith prepares us for big moments of faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rohrmayer/day-to-day-faith-prepares-us-for-big-moments-of-faith/) [Gary Rohrmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rohrmayer/) > [I have to read something positive every single day. I have to have faith that the day is unfolding in a way that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-thompson/i-have-to-read-something-positive-every-single-day-i-have-to-have/) [Lea Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-thompson/) > [At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don't really expect it. Its like one day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-the-end-of-the-day-faith-is-a-funny-thing-it-turns-up-when-you-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One day faith will be a personal preference and not popular contest; where we believe in anything we want and not take it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-crupi/one-day-faith-will-be-a-personal-preference-and-not-popular-contest/) Justin Crupi ## More by Miguel de Unamuno > [The pessimism that protests and defends itself cannot be truly said to be pessimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/the-pessimism-that-protests-and-defends-itself-cannot-be-truly-said/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [We should try to be the parents of our future rather than the offspring of our past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/we-should-try-to-be-the-parents-of-our-future-rather-than-the/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [We never know, believe me, when we have succeeded best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/we-never-know-believe-me-when-we-have-succeeded-best/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/a-lot-of-good-arguments-are-spoiled-by-some-fool-who-knows-what-he-is/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [Philosophy fulfills the need to create for ourselves a single and complete concept of the world and of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/philosophy-fulfills-the-need-to-create-for-ourselves-a-single-and/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [None are so likely to believe too little as those who have begun by believing too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/none-are-so-likely-to-believe-too-little-as-those-who-have-begun-by/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [The devil is an angel too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/the-devil-is-an-angel-too/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [My work...is to shatter the faith of men here, there, and everywhere, faith in affirmation, faith in negation, and faith in abstention from faith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/my-work-is-to-shatter-the-faith-of-men-here-there-and-everywhere/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [“I must not throw away my village to win my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/i-must-not-throw-away-my-village-to-win-my-soul/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [Everything that exalts and expands consciousness is good, while that which depresses and diminishes it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/everything-that-exalts-and-expands-consciousness-is-good-while-that/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [Was man made for science, or was science made for man?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/was-man-made-for-science-or-was-science-made-for-man/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [We need God, not in order to understand the why, but in order to feel and sustain the ultimate wherefore, to give a meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/we-need-god-not-in-order-to-understand-the-why-but-in-order-to-feel/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [Science says: 'We must live,' and seeks the means of prolonging, increasing, facilitating and amplifying life, of making it tolerable and acceptable, wisdom says:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/science-says-we-must-live-and-seeks-the-means-of-prolonging/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [To love with the spirit is to pity, and he who pities most loves most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/to-love-with-the-spirit-is-to-pity-and-he-who-pities-most-loves-most/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [These terrible sociologists, who are the astrologers and alchemists of our twentieth century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/these-terrible-sociologists-who-are-the-astrologers-and-alchemists-of/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) [Explore all 153 Miguel de Unamuno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) ## More Believers quotes > [“the believers in China exhibited a constant joyfulness in the midst of harsh circumstances. I never heard them deny or down-play the danger. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nik-ripken/the-believers-in-china-exhibited-a-constant-joyfulness-in-the-midst/) [Nik Ripken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nik-ripken/) > [“If our leaders are not passionately driven by the right beliefs, we are headed for disaster. At the same time, if believers cannot lead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/if-our-leaders-are-not-passionately-driven-by-the-right-beliefs-we/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe but they know belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/those-who-have-abandoned-belief-must-still-believe-in-us-they-are/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Believers in political faith-healing enjoy a supreme immunity from doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/believers-in-political-faith-healing-enjoy-a-supreme-immunity-from/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“Worship of God is not restricted to believers alone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/worship-of-god-is-not-restricted-to-believers-alone/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I don't think the problem that we have today is overzealous believers. I think the problem we have is underzealous believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-laurie/i-don-t-think-the-problem-that-we-have-today-is-overzealous-believers/) [Greg Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-laurie/) > [Scripture is not inerrant; believers are called to interpret biblical texts in light of tradition and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/scripture-is-not-inerrant-believers-are-called-to-interpret-biblical/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [“The evangelical wing of the Church spends a lot of energy on being "born again" but little time on "growing up" again. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stockman/the-evangelical-wing-of-the-church-spends-a-lot-of-energy-on-being/) [Steve Stockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stockman/) > [“We as believers cannot be effective in offering others hope and forgiveness when we're not living in the light of that hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-courtney/we-as-believers-cannot-be-effective-in-offering-others-hope-and/) [Vicki Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-courtney/) > [It takes practice to use one's eyes, even when God has opened them. And there are some believers who never get beyond confounding a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/it-takes-practice-to-use-one-s-eyes-even-when-god-has-opened-them-and/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [... if we are ashamed to imitate our Lord's sufferings, which He endured for us, and to suffer as He suffered, it is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/if-we-are-ashamed-to-imitate-our-lord-s-sufferings-which-he-endured/) [Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/) > [A dominant misconception among believers is that their atheist brethren are a slavering pack of hell-bound debauchees, gleefully wining and wenching their way through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/a-dominant-misconception-among-believers-is-that-their-atheist/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [God expects believers to improve their attitude in giving as well as their giving itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/god-expects-believers-to-improve-their-attitude-in-giving-as-well-as/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [We have become dangerously comfortable- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-have-become-dangerously-comfortable-believers-ooze-with-wealth-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) [Browse all 470 Believers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is certain is that for thinking believers to-day, faith is, before all and above all, wishing that God may exist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Miguel de Unamuno" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-believers-to-day-faith-is-before/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-believers-to-day-faith-is-before/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/miguel-de-unamuno-2211_believers_what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-bel_1187006.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What is certain is that for thinking believers to-day, faith is, before all and above all, wishing that God…” — Miguel de Unamuno", "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": "Miguel de Unamuno", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What is certain is that for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-believers-to-day-faith-is-before/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/what-is-certain-is-that-for-thinking-believers-to-day-faith-is-before/#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 } } ] } ```