--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man is at his wits' end it is not…" description: "\"When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get in touch with Reality.\" — Oswald Chambers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png" --- # When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing… ![“When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get in touch with Reality.” quote by Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png) > “When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get in touch with Reality.” [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. In desperate moments, prayer connects us to deeper truth rather than being a sign of weakness. **In simple terms:** Prayer is a bridge to reality in crisis. Key Takeaway Seek truth through prayer when overwhelmed. Themes faith despair spirituality Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - nighttime anxiety - spiritual seeking Key Concepts existential connection humility Questions to Reflect On - How does prayer change your perception of reality? - Can you find other ways to connect with reality? A Different Perspective Prayer may not provide immediate solutions, only perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cowardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardly/) [End Cowardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-cowardly-499808/) [Man Wits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-wits-499807/) [Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) [Pray Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-way-429096/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wits end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wits-end/) ## Related quotes > [We do not pray at all until we are at our wits' end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-do-not-pray-at-all-until-we-are-at-our-wits-end/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Very often, we are confronted by people who want us to pray their way or colleagues who want us to think their way. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/very-often-we-are-confronted-by-people-who-want-us-to-pray-their-way/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [Writing is not just a job. It helps me to pray. It's a way of being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/writing-is-not-just-a-job-it-helps-me-to-pray-it-s-a-way-of-being/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [And the Prince stared at her like a man out of his wits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-the-prince-stared-at-her-like-a-man-out-of-his-wits/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wine ...moderately drunken it doth quicken a man's wits, It doth comfort the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-boorde/wine-moderately-drunken-it-doth-quicken-a-man-s-wits-it-doth-comfort/) [Andrew Boorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-boorde/) > [A man's wits are better employed in bearing up under the misfortunes that lie upon him at present than in foreseeing those that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-man-s-wits-are-better-employed-in-bearing-up-under-the-misfortunes/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [You've got Hezbollah in Arizona. You've got Mexican drug cartels operating in Arizona. You've got the steady stream of illegals over the border, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-ve-got-hezbollah-in-arizona-you-ve-got-mexican-drug-cartels/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [When we are at our wits' end for an answer, then the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. But how can He give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/when-we-are-at-our-wits-end-for-an-answer-then-the-holy-spirit-can/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“To be scared out of your wits is to be at your wits' end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/to-be-scared-out-of-your-wits-is-to-be-at-your-wits-end/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [“Honestly, I'm just so fed up with you. I'm at my wits' end.' Since my mother is always at her wits' end, I'm surprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-nolan/honestly-i-m-just-so-fed-up-with-you-i-m-at-my-wits-end-since-my/) [Han Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-nolan/) > [“Dear Self,   You have been doubted, hated, talked about, made fun of, hurt, lied to, lied on, broken and at your wits end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle-smith/dear-self-you-have-been-doubted-hated-talked-about-made-fun-of-hurt/) [Alexandra Elle Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle-smith/) > [“Then we entered the Straits in great fear of mind, for on the one hand was Scylla, and on the other dread Charybdis kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/then-we-entered-the-straits-in-great-fear-of-mind-for-on-the-one-hand/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [There are a whole lot of people who are so freakin' busy—they've so cluttered up their lives—they're at their wits' end. And if they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/there-are-a-whole-lot-of-people-who-are-so-freakin-busy-they-ve-so/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Time is always wanting to me, and I cannot meet with a single day when I am nut hurried along, driven to by wits'-end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/time-is-always-wanting-to-me-and-i-cannot-meet-with-a-single-day-when/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [God is the God of the people who are at their wits end, who are right up against it with their backs to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/god-is-the-god-of-the-people-who-are-at-their-wits-end-who-are-right/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) ## 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 Cowardly quotes > [A love to Christ which is so cowardly and selfish that it is unwilling to proclaim by a public confession its faith in Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbott-eliot-kittredge/a-love-to-christ-which-is-so-cowardly-and-selfish-that-it-is/) [Abbott Eliot Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbott-eliot-kittredge/) > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The world, and the great and free United States in particular, is full of narrow-minded, ignorant, moronic, bigoted, cowardly, self-righteous, anemic, pig-headed, stupid, puritanical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-world-and-the-great-and-free-united-states-in-particular-is-full/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [It is no less vain to wish death than it is cowardly to fear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/it-is-no-less-vain-to-wish-death-than-it-is-cowardly-to-fear-it/) [Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/) > [Not to be cowardly when it comes to our own actions! Not to leave them in the lurch!--The sting of conscience is indecent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/not-to-be-cowardly-when-it-comes-to-our-own-actions-not-to-leave-them/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [To go behind a man's hall-door is mean, cowardly, unfair opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/to-go-behind-a-man-s-hall-door-is-mean-cowardly-unfair-opposition/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [You're obliged to pretend respect for people and institutions you think absurd. You live attached in a cowardly fashion to moral and social conventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/you-re-obliged-to-pretend-respect-for-people-and-institutions-you/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [ “\[...\] god's cowardly, it doesn't want to know or take responsibility for what it's doing.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aylett/god-s-cowardly-it-doesn-t-want-to-know-or-take-responsibility-for/) [Steve Aylett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aylett/) > [“I’m a coward.” “No—” “Don’t deny what we both know to be true.” Richard put his hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “You are worn down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sondra-allan-carr/i-m-a-coward-no-don-t-deny-what-we-both-know-to-be-true-richard-put/) [Sondra Allan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sondra-allan-carr/) > [We must be neither cowardly nor rash but courageous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/we-must-be-neither-cowardly-nor-rash-but-courageous/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Blessed be those happy ages that were strangers to the dreadful fury of these devilish instruments of artillery, whose inventor I am satisfied is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/blessed-be-those-happy-ages-that-were-strangers-to-the-dreadful-fury/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [There is a time when to avoid trouble is to store up trouble, and when to seek for a lazy and a cowardly peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/there-is-a-time-when-to-avoid-trouble-is-to-store-up-trouble-and-when/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [“You may say suicide is a loss of control and cowardly. Foolish as it may sound, I am prepared to argue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-remy/you-may-say-suicide-is-a-loss-of-control-and-cowardly-foolish-as-it/) [Dee Remy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-remy/) > [“You are a man. You are an average, lazy, boring, cowardly, woman-fearing man. Without me, that's what you would have kept on being, ad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/you-are-a-man-you-are-an-average-lazy-boring-cowardly-woman-fearing/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [I believe that women are many different types of people. There are brave women, there are cowardly women, there are altruistic women, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-believe-that-women-are-many-different-types-of-people-there-are/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) [Browse all 330 Cowardly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get in touch with Reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oswald Chambers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not-a-cowardly-thing-to-pray-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cowardly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not-a-cowardly-thing-to-pray-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/oswald-chambers-205_cowardly_when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not_824268.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get in touch…” — 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": "When a man is at his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not-a-cowardly-thing-to-pray-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-a-man-is-at-his-wits-end-it-is-not-a-cowardly-thing-to-pray-it/#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 } } ] } ```