--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Joy is the characteristic by which God…" description: "\"Joy is the characteristic by which God uses us to re-make the distressing into the desired, the discarded into the creative. Joy is prayer-Joy is stren..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/mother-teresa-196_characteristics_joy-is-the-characteristic-by-which-god-u_2856350.jpg" --- # Joy is the characteristic by which God uses us to re-make… ![“Joy is the characteristic by which God uses us to re-make the distressing into the desired, the discarded into the creative. Joy is prayer-Joy is strength-Joy is love-Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” quote by Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/mother-teresa-196_characteristics_joy-is-the-characteristic-by-which-god-u_2856350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/mother-teresa-196_characteristics_joy-is-the-characteristic-by-which-god-u_2856350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c7/mother-teresa-196_characteristics_joy-is-the-characteristic-by-which-god-u_2856350.jpg) > “Joy is the characteristic by which God uses us to re-make the distressing into the desired, the discarded into the creative. Joy is prayer-Joy is strength-Joy is love-Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Joy is portrayed as a divine tool that transforms suffering into desire and neglect into creativity, acting as prayer, strength, love, and a net that captures souls. **In simple terms:** Joy transforms pain into purpose and love. Key Takeaway Embrace joy to reshape hardship. Themes spirituality transformation love Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal growth - community service - healing trauma - artistic creation Key Concepts divine purpose creative resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel joy into tangible change? - What practices nurture lasting joy? A Different Perspective Joy alone cannot solve systemic issues; external action needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Distressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distressing/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-prayer-joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-joy-is-a-net-of-love-by/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-prayer-joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-joy-is-a-net-of-love-by-2/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Joy is prayer; joy is strength, joy is love. God loves a cheerful giver. The best way we can show our gratitude to God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-prayer-joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-god-loves-a-cheerful-giver/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Joy is strength- Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. She gives most who gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-joy-is-a-net-of-love-by-which-you-can/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-church-needs-you-your-enthusiasm-your-creativity-and-the-joy-that/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [God has put joy in our spirit. Joy is a characteristic fruit of our recreated human spirit (Galatians 5:22), but it's up to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-has-put-joy-in-our-spirit-joy-is-a-characteristic-fruit-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He is not, perhaps, overjoyed—but joy is not a characteristic of my people; it is considered too youthful, and therefore, too easily destroyed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara/he-is-not-perhaps-overjoyed-but-joy-is-not-a-characteristic-of-my/) [Michelle Sagara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara/) > [“Joy is strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-strength/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Depressions may come to our lives,,. But our prayer will keep us joy to our heart and to be alive..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ailenecaballero/depressions-may-come-to-our-lives-but-our-prayer-will-keep-us-joy-to/) [Ailenecaballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ailenecaballero/) > [When joy and prayer are married, their first born child is gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/when-joy-and-prayer-are-married-their-first-born-child-is-gratitude/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [A triune God would call us to converse with him . . . because he wants to share the joy he has. Prayer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/a-triune-god-would-call-us-to-converse-with-him-because-he-wants-to/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [We are taught from the very first moment to discover Christ under the distressing disguixe of the poor, the sick, the outcasts. Christ presents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-are-taught-from-the-very-first-moment-to-discover-christ-under-the/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Mary, my dearest Mother, give me your heart so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate, your heart so full of love and humility, that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/mary-my-dearest-mother-give-me-your-heart-so-beautiful-so-pure-so/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Every day I see Jesus Christ in all his distressing disguises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/every-day-i-see-jesus-christ-in-all-his-distressing-disguises/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Unless we believe and see Jesus in the appearance of bread on the altar, we will not be able to see him in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/unless-we-believe-and-see-jesus-in-the-appearance-of-bread-on-the/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## More by Mother Teresa > [Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/love-is-a-fruit-in-season-at-all-times-and-within-the-reach-of-every/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [All works of love are works of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/all-works-of-love-are-works-of-peace/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak in a low, persuasive tone. Listen; be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/keep-the-corners-of-your-mouth-turned-up-speak-in-a-low-persuasive/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/holy-living-consists-in-doing-god-s-work-with-a-smile/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We may not be able to give much but we can always give the joy that springs in a heart that is in LOVE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-may-not-be-able-to-give-much-but-we-can-always-give-the-joy-that/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Maybe if I didn't pick up that one person, I wouldn't have picked up forty-two thousand...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/maybe-if-i-didn-t-pick-up-that-one-person-i-wouldn-t-have-picked-up/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-too-are-called-to-withdraw-at-certain-intervals-into-deeper/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [People are unrealistic, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-are-unrealistic-illogical-and-self-centered-love-them-anyway/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Recovering in a Calcutta, India hospital. I think I'm more difficult than critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/recovering-in-a-calcutta-india-hospital-i-think-i-m-more-difficult/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [So many signatures for such a small heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/so-many-signatures-for-such-a-small-heart/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [They should give until it hurts, maybe a very small thing, maybe just a packet of cigarettes, but instead of by smoking that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/they-should-give-until-it-hurts-maybe-a-very-small-thing-maybe-just-a/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/it-is-by-forgiving-that-one-is-forgiven/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The more we empty ourselves, the more room we give God to fill us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-more-we-empty-ourselves-the-more-room-we-give-god-to-fill-us/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-prayer-joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-joy-is-a-net-of-love-by/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) [Explore all 951 Mother Teresa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## More Characteristics quotes > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Just because someone thinks they remember something in detail, with confidence and with emotion, does not mean that it actually happened, .. False memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/just-because-someone-thinks-they-remember-something-in-detail-with/) [Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/) > [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A second characteristic of the process which for me is the good life, is that it involves an increasingly tendency to live fully in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/a-second-characteristic-of-the-process-which-for-me-is-the-good-life/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Philanthropy is one of the most hopeful characteristics of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-livermore/philanthropy-is-one-of-the-most-hopeful-characteristics-of-our-time/) Mary Livermore > [God has given this way of life to Israel: to abstain from everything which is contrary to nature, that is to say, anger, fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/god-has-given-this-way-of-life-to-israel-to-abstain-from-everything/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [The most significant moment will be when we stop referring to the hiring of qualified women (and racial, ethnic and religious minorities) as significant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-trask/the-most-significant-moment-will-be-when-we-stop-referring-to-the/) Amy Trask > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I see a table'; but 'I seem to feel a pain'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-strawson/it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-does-not-entail-i-see-a-table/) [Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/) Browse all 1,325 Characteristics quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Joy is the characteristic by which God uses us to re-make the distressing into the desired, the discarded into the creative. 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