--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you pray, you know that you want…" description: "\"When you pray, you know that you want something, that's always the first step. to let yourself know that you want something, that you yearn for it. som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png" --- # When you pray, you know that you want something, that's… ![“When you pray, you know that you want something, that's always the first step. to let yourself know that you want something, that you yearn for it. sometimes that's the hardest thing to do. Because you have to have courage to know what you desire. You have to have courage to acknowledge that you…” quote by Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png) > “When you pray, you know that you want something, that's always the first step. to let yourself know that you want something, that you yearn for it. sometimes that's the hardest thing to do. Because you have to have courage to know what you desire. You have to have courage to acknowledge that you are unhappy without it.” [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire requires courage; acknowledging longing is the first step toward fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Courage to admit what you want. Key Takeaway Acknowledge your desires. Themes courage desire self-awareness Mood hopeful inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal goals - relationship building - career planning - creative projects Key Concepts psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What desire have you hidden? - How can you act on it courage? A Different Perspective Desire without action remains unfulfilled. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-courage-2812935/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [Hardest thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-thing/) [Have courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/have-courage/) [Know Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-desire-578724/) [Know Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-want/) [Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) [Pray Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-know-334372/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The most disappointing period are started then, / when you're desire, and courage to be lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-most-disappointing-period-are-started-then-when-you-re-desire-and/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“This has been a long and imperfect journey. It is a journey I am still on. I will always be on. And it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/this-has-been-a-long-and-imperfect-journey-it-is-a-journey-i-am-still/) [Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/) > [“Why is it that you don’t know what to do when there is desire? I’ll tell you why. Because this rigid decision of yours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/why-is-it-that-you-don-t-know-what-to-do-when-there-is-desire-i-ll/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Science itself, no matter whether it is the search for truth or merely the need to gain control over the external world, to alleviate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-broglie/science-itself-no-matter-whether-it-is-the-search-for-truth-or-merely/) [Louis de Broglie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-broglie/) > [For what are we looking for if not to please? I do not know if the desire to attract others comes from a superabundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/for-what-are-we-looking-for-if-not-to-please-i-do-not-know-if-the/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [You perhaps now know that desire reduces us to pulp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/you-perhaps-now-know-that-desire-reduces-us-to-pulp/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [We don't even know what our desire is. We ask other people to tell us our desires. We would like our desires to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-girard/we-don-t-even-know-what-our-desire-is-we-ask-other-people-to-tell-us/) [Rene Girard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-girard/) > [“Malachi make sure you know the desire of your heart is the right desire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-leland/malachi-make-sure-you-know-the-desire-of-your-heart-is-the-right/) [Rick Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-leland/) > [Men know almost nothing about desire, they think it has to do with sexual activity or can be discharged that way. But sex is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/men-know-almost-nothing-about-desire-they-think-it-has-to-do-with/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“Know what you desire, but, more importantly, why you desire it. That why was where the trick lay, I realized. Why was a land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/know-what-you-desire-but-more-importantly-why-you-desire-it-that-why/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [You know me, you know me all too well. My only desire - to bridge our division.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killswitch-engage/you-know-me-you-know-me-all-too-well-my-only-desire-to-bridge-our/) [Killswitch Engage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killswitch-engage/) > [We know desire is rooted in absence and yearning. What you don't have is often ten times richer than what you actually experience. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/we-know-desire-is-rooted-in-absence-and-yearning-what-you-don-t-have/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“I know desire when I see it—and yet, this time, it slipped by completely. I was going for the devious smile that would suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-know-desire-when-i-see-it-and-yet-this-time-it-slipped-by/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“Desire is simple," he said. "Desire is something even a machine can understand." There was a stillness in the air that mirrored the stillness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-rose-clarke/desire-is-simple-he-said-desire-is-something-even-a-machine-can/) [Cassandra Rose Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-rose-clarke/) > [The problem for us is not are our desires satisfied or not. The problem is how do we know what we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-problem-for-us-is-not-are-our-desires-satisfied-or-not-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) ## More by Philippa Gregory > [“Mother, before God," I say, my voice shaking with tears, "I swear that I have to believe that there is more for me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/mother-before-god-i-say-my-voice-shaking-with-tears-i-swear-that-i/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Say yes,’ he whispers. ‘Marry me.’ I hesitate. I open my eyes. ‘You will get my fortune,’ I remark. ‘When I marry you, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/say-yes-he-whispers-marry-me-i-hesitate-i-open-my-eyes-you-will-get/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“But I warn you that a woman who seeks great power and wealth has to pay a great price, Perhaps you will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/but-i-warn-you-that-a-woman-who-seeks-great-power-and-wealth-has-to/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I raised my hand to wave in case he looked back; but he did not. He rode straight backed, looking forward. He rode like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-raised-my-hand-to-wave-in-case-he-looked-back-but-he-did-not-he/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“When you are still and thoughtful you are as lovely as the statues they are carving in Italy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-are-still-and-thoughtful-you-are-as-lovely-as-the-statues/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Edward lives as if there is no tomorrow, Richard as if he wants no tomorrow, and George as though someone should give it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/edward-lives-as-if-there-is-no-tomorrow-richard-as-if-he-wants-no/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [You can smile when your heart is breaking because you're a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/you-can-smile-when-your-heart-is-breaking-because-you-re-a-woman/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [En Ma Fin Est Ma Commencement - In my end is my beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/en-ma-fin-est-ma-commencement-in-my-end-is-my-beginning/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“We fell asleep wrapped in each other as if we could not bear to part, even in sleep we could not bear to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-fell-asleep-wrapped-in-each-other-as-if-we-could-not-bear-to-part/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“One little boy, and he a bastard,' Anne said thoughtfully. 'One little girl of six, one elderly Queen and a King in the prime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/one-little-boy-and-he-a-bastard-anne-said-thoughtfully-one-little/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“We have been married little more than a year and already there is a terrible silence around some subjects. We never speak of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-have-been-married-little-more-than-a-year-and-already-there-is-a/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“It doesn’t matter if you call it magic or determination. It doesn’t matter if you make a spell or a plot. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-call-it-magic-or-determination-it-doesn-t/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“You are my heart. Even if you are a broken heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/you-are-my-heart-even-if-you-are-a-broken-heart/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I have overturned the order. Nothing will ever be the same for any woman in this country again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-have-overturned-the-order-nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-for-any/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I will make my own future, not predict it. I don’t need a charm to tell me what I hope will happen. I throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-will-make-my-own-future-not-predict-it-i-don-t-need-a-charm-to-tell/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) [Explore all 408 Philippa Gregory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you pray, you know that you want something, that's always the first step. to let yourself know that you want something, that you yearn for it. sometimes that's the hardest thing to do. Because you have to have courage to know what you desire. You have to have courage to acknowledge that you are unhappy without it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philippa Gregory" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-something-that-s-always-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-something-that-s-always-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/philippa-gregory-674_acknowledge_when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-som_2740584.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you pray, you know that you want something, that's always the first step. to let yourself know that you…” — Philippa Gregory", "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": "Philippa Gregory", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you pray, you know that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-something-that-s-always-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-pray-you-know-that-you-want-something-that-s-always-the/#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 } } ] } ```