--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest need we have is not to do…" description: "\"The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things.\" — Oswald Chambers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png" --- # The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to… ![“The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things.” quote by Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png) > “The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things.” [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith, not action, fuels true accomplishment. **In simple terms:** Believe to achieve. Key Takeaway Strengthen belief before deeds. Themes faith belief motivation Mood reflective motivational Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - goal setting - spiritual practice - team leadership Key Concepts theology psychology willpower Questions to Reflect On - How does belief shape your actions? - What steps build genuine faith? A Different Perspective Action without belief can be hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [Aggressive Christianity is the world's greatest need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-simpson/aggressive-christianity-is-the-world-s-greatest-need/) [A. B. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-simpson/) > [“If I were only allowed to read or enjoy art or listen to music made by people whose opinions and beliefs were the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-i-were-only-allowed-to-read-or-enjoy-art-or-listen-to-music-made-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Sometimes the hardest things to believe are the only things worth believing at al.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-patten/sometimes-the-hardest-things-to-believe-are-the-only-things-worth-2/) [E.J. Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-patten/) > [We soon believe the things we would believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/we-soon-believe-the-things-we-would-believe/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [“I can believe that things are true and I can believe things that aren’t true and I can believe things where nobody knows if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-can-believe-that-things-are-true-and-i-can-believe-things-that-aren/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“I will tell you the one thing I really believe out of all the things there are to believe.” “All right,” I said. “All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/i-will-tell-you-the-one-thing-i-really-believe-out-of-all-the-things/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [Nobody really knows who I am, where I came from, what's in my heart, why I believe in the things I believe, what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-solo/nobody-really-knows-who-i-am-where-i-came-from-what-s-in-my-heart-why/) [Hope Solo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-solo/) > [Of course we believe these things. We believe in social security. We believe in work for the unemployed. We believe in saving homes. Cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/of-course-we-believe-these-things-we-believe-in-social-security-we/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“We are born to believe We can’t change a thing We can’t, and we never could. But before you believe The things you believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-o-callaghan/we-are-born-to-believe-we-can-t-change-a-thing-we-can-t-and-we-never/) John C. O'Callaghan > [“Sometimes the hardest things to believe are the only things worth believing at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-patten/sometimes-the-hardest-things-to-believe-are-the-only-things-worth/) [E.J. Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-patten/) > [I do not believe in things. I believe in relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-braque/i-do-not-believe-in-things-i-believe-in-relationships/) [Georges Braque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-braque/) > [We believe in many things in which we do not believe that we believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-believe-in-many-things-in-which-we-do-not-believe-that-we-believe/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Every one of us have things that we believe about ourselves when nobody else is looking, nobody else is listening, nobody else is monitoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mcgraw/every-one-of-us-have-things-that-we-believe-about-ourselves-when/) [Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mcgraw/) > [You made me believe things I should not. You showed me the things I believe do not exists. You enchanted me with simple thoughts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-made-me-believe-things-i-should-not-you-showed-me-the-things-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why should I try to make you believe the things I believe in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/why-should-i-try-to-make-you-believe-the-things-i-believe-in/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) ## More by Oswald Chambers > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/realize-that-the-lord-is-here-now-and-the-freedom-you-receive-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-will-never-cease-to-be-the-most-amazed-person-on-earth-at-what/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [When Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross, it was not the blood of a martyr; or the blood of one man for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-jesus-christ-shed-his-blood-on-the-cross-it-was-not-the-blood-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/sorrow-burns-up-a-great-amount-of-shallowness/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-goal-of-faithfulness-is-not-that-we-will-do-work-for-god-but-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-are-in-danger-of-forgetting-that-we-cannot-do-what-god-does-and/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-a-solemn-thing-and-no-small-scandal-in-the-kingdom-to-see-god-s/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that will awaken inordinate affection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-holiness-is-not-drawing-towards-him-it-is-not-holiness-of-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/my-spiritual-history-must-have-as-its-underlying-foundation-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-always-have-visions-before-a-thing-is-made-real-when-we-realize/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-lasting-value-of-our-public-service-for-god-is-measured-by-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-thing-that-awakens-the-deepest-fountain-of-gratitude-in-a-human/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The secret of the missionary is...I am His, and He is carrying out His work through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-secret-of-the-missionary-is-i-am-his-and-he-is-carrying-out-his/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) [Explore all 922 Oswald Chambers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oswald Chambers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-things-but-to-believe-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-things-but-to-believe-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/oswald-chambers-205_believe_the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-t_1484239.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things.” — Oswald Chambers", "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": "Oswald Chambers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greatest need we have is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-things-but-to-believe-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-greatest-need-we-have-is-not-to-do-things-but-to-believe-things/#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 } } ] } ```