--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At first we feel called by God and…" description: "\"At first we feel called by God and attracted by him. We grow in our vocation and get the impression that God has gripped us and will never let us go. W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/notker-wolf-80675_called-by-god_at-first-we-feel-called-by-god-and-attra_1231756.jpg" --- # At first we feel called by God and attracted by him. We… ![“At first we feel called by God and attracted by him. We grow in our vocation and get the impression that God has gripped us and will never let us go. We want to withdraw from him in order to escape his grasp. But he loves us too much to allow us to fall. He holds us fast, challenges us.” quote by Notker Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/notker-wolf-80675_called-by-god_at-first-we-feel-called-by-god-and-attra_1231756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/notker-wolf-80675_called-by-god_at-first-we-feel-called-by-god-and-attra_1231756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/notker-wolf-80675_called-by-god_at-first-we-feel-called-by-god-and-attra_1231756.jpg) > “At first we feel called by God and attracted by him. We grow in our vocation and get the impression that God has gripped us and will never let us go. We want to withdraw from him in order to escape his grasp. But he loves us too much to allow us to fall. He holds us fast, challenges us.” Notker Wolf ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes the tension between feeling drawn to the divine and the fear of being trapped, yet emphasizes God's persistent love and challenge. **In simple terms:** God draws us in, we fear losing freedom, but His love holds us. Key Takeaway Embrace divine love despite fear. Themes faith spirituality trust love challenge Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - spiritual crisis - seeking purpose - overcoming fear of commitment Key Concepts theology free will divine love Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape your relationship with the divine? - What does “being held fast” mean to you? A Different Perspective The struggle may stem from misunderstanding freedom as loss rather than partnership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called by god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-by-god/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Christian inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-inspirational/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [What God is doing today is calling people out of the world for His name. Whether they come from the Muslim world, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/what-god-is-doing-today-is-calling-people-out-of-the-world-for-his/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“All things that happen to those who love God, to those who are called by God, are blessings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-lapiz/all-things-that-happen-to-those-who-love-god-to-those-who-are-called/) [Ed Lapiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-lapiz/) > [“If you are called by God, the time will come when He expects certain fruits from you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/if-you-are-called-by-god-the-time-will-come-when-he-expects-certain/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We are called by God to do theology, that is, to live our lives with a moment-by-moment consciousness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/we-are-called-by-god-to-do-theology-that-is-to-live-our-lives-with-a/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [We are called by God to live by faith and in spirit, to long and desire for His promises. It's not yet seen but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/we-are-called-by-god-to-live-by-faith-and-in-spirit-to-long-and/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [Since God alone provides the means for the successful accomplishment of any task, it seems evident that a person needs to be called by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-moreau/since-god-alone-provides-the-means-for-the-successful-accomplishment/) [Basil Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-moreau/) > [“As we go to the places where we are called by God—sometimes gladly, sometimes reluctantly, always in anxiety—we are drawn into the newness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/as-we-go-to-the-places-where-we-are-called-by-god-sometimes-gladly/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [When you're called by God, when He places that call upon your life, there is an authority you begin to walk in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-roberts/when-you-re-called-by-god-when-he-places-that-call-upon-your-life/) [Sam Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-roberts/) > [Calling is not only a matter of being and doing what we are but also of becoming what we are not yet but are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/calling-is-not-only-a-matter-of-being-and-doing-what-we-are-but-also/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“God is not attracted to mountaintops or church steeples. God is drawn to suffering, and the dark places it surfaces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/god-is-not-attracted-to-mountaintops-or-church-steeples-god-is-drawn-2/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [I have discovered an astonishing truth. God is attracted to weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/i-have-discovered-an-astonishing-truth-god-is-attracted-to-weaknesses/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He cannot resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/i-discovered-an-astonishing-truth-god-is-attracted-to-weakness-he/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [God is not attracted to mountaintops or church steeples. God is drawn to suffering, and the dark places it surfaces, which is why sharing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/god-is-not-attracted-to-mountaintops-or-church-steeples-god-is-drawn/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [Our young men are going into the professional fields because they don't 'feel called' to the mission field. We don't need a call; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/our-young-men-are-going-into-the-professional-fields-because-they-don/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [Only do what you feel called in your heart to do, and then give all of yourself to the task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/only-do-what-you-feel-called-in-your-heart-to-do-and-then-give-all-of/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Notker Wolf > [Faith offers the promise that everything will ultimately be renewed in God. This hardly means that we will, or must, receive an answer from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/notker-wolf/faith-offers-the-promise-that-everything-will-ultimately-be-renewed/) Notker Wolf > [The so-called Church Fathers are not some theologians as we know them nowadays. They were close to the teaching of the Apostles conveying the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/notker-wolf/the-so-called-church-fathers-are-not-some-theologians-as-we-know-them/) Notker Wolf Explore all 3 Notker Wolf quotes ## More Called by god quotes > [“If we choose to be distracted by the scores of things around us we may find ourselves either backsliding in our walks, or remaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/if-we-choose-to-be-distracted-by-the-scores-of-things-around-us-we/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/i-want-you-to-just-let-a-wave-of-intolerance-wash-over-you-i-want-you/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) > [Each one of us has some kind of vocation. We are all called by God to share in His life and in His Kingdom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/each-one-of-us-has-some-kind-of-vocation-we-are-all-called-by-god-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Some people are given a great gift of not caring what others think or about anything but being faithful to what they’re called by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-fabry/some-people-are-given-a-great-gift-of-not-caring-what-others-think-or/) [Chris Fabry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-fabry/) > [Many people don't understand the difference between a vocation and your own idea about something. A vocation is a call-one you don't necessarily want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-hart/many-people-don-t-understand-the-difference-between-a-vocation-and/) [Dolores Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-hart/) > [In the Bible, ordination - I don't see that in the Scripture. In the Bible, it's whether you're filled with the Holy Spirit, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/in-the-bible-ordination-i-don-t-see-that-in-the-scripture-in-the/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [I think theres just this mystique of writing a book that appeals to people. A person has to really check their motives and say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-think-theres-just-this-mystique-of-writing-a-book-that-appeals-to/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Calling is not only a matter of being and doing what we are but also of becoming what we are not yet but are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/calling-is-not-only-a-matter-of-being-and-doing-what-we-are-but-also/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“APOSTLE AMONG THE GENTILES (NATIONS) As we have seen, Paul’s encounter with the resurrected Jesus led him to the deep conviction that he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gorman/apostle-among-the-gentiles-nations-as-we-have-seen-paul-s-encounter/) [Michael J. Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gorman/) > [“We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/we-are-not-called-by-god-to-do-extraordinary-things-but-to-do/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [When you're called by God, when He places that call upon your life, there is an authority you begin to walk in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-roberts/when-you-re-called-by-god-when-he-places-that-call-upon-your-life/) [Sam Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-roberts/) > [“As we go to the places where we are called by God—sometimes gladly, sometimes reluctantly, always in anxiety—we are drawn into the newness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/as-we-go-to-the-places-where-we-are-called-by-god-sometimes-gladly/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [“Keeping a new church outwardly focused from the beginning is much easier than trying to refocus an inwardly concerned church. In order to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-searcy/keeping-a-new-church-outwardly-focused-from-the-beginning-is-much/) [Nelson Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-searcy/) > [Since God alone provides the means for the successful accomplishment of any task, it seems evident that a person needs to be called by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-moreau/since-god-alone-provides-the-means-for-the-successful-accomplishment/) [Basil Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-moreau/) > [Thus, when you wake up in the morning, called by God to be a self again, if you want to know who you are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/thus-when-you-wake-up-in-the-morning-called-by-god-to-be-a-self-again/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Browse all 32 Called by god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-by-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At first we feel called by God and attracted by him. 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