--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is that we should learn to pray even…" description: "\"“It is that we should learn to pray even while we are dwelling on evil. Perhaps we are waging an interior battle over anger, or lust, or pride, or gree..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/richard-j-foster-1460_pray_it-is-that-we-should-learn-to-pray-even_3056159.png" --- # It is that we should learn to pray even while we are… ![“It is that we should learn to pray even while we are dwelling on evil. Perhaps we are waging an interior battle over anger, or lust, or pride, or greed, or ambition. We need not isolate these things from prayer.” quote by Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/richard-j-foster-1460_pray_it-is-that-we-should-learn-to-pray-even_3056159.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/richard-j-foster-1460_pray_it-is-that-we-should-learn-to-pray-even_3056159.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/richard-j-foster-1460_pray_it-is-that-we-should-learn-to-pray-even_3056159.png) > ““It is that we should learn to pray even while we are dwelling on evil. Perhaps we are waging an interior battle over anger, or lust, or pride, or greed, or ambition. We need not isolate these things from prayer.”” [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer can address inner struggles like anger or greed, integrating them rather than separating them from spiritual practice. **In simple terms:** Include struggles in prayer. Key Takeaway Integrate challenges into prayer. Themes spirituality self-awareness inner conflict Mood contemplative hopeful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - personal meditation - conflict resolution - addiction recovery - relationship counseling - stress management Key Concepts integrated prayer psychological integration Questions to Reflect On - How can you bring specific struggles into prayer? - What benefits arise from integrating challenges? A Different Perspective May be difficult for those who view prayer as only praise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learn Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-pray-502892/) [Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) [Pray Dwelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-dwelling-5106621/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Things Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-prayer-965021/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There is no way to learn to pray but by praying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/there-is-no-way-to-learn-to-pray-but-by-praying/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [Dear young friends, learn to pray every day: this is the way to know Jesus and invite him into your lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/dear-young-friends-learn-to-pray-every-day-this-is-the-way-to-know/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Learn to pray. Learn to bask in God's grace, because He can never fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/learn-to-pray-learn-to-bask-in-god-s-grace-because-he-can-never-fail/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us. Prayer changes life. Sometimes an event has been manifested that needs to be stopped, midair. Don't pray just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/prayer-changes-things-prayer-changes-us-prayer-changes-life-sometimes/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [“Lord God, you deserve my best. Forgive me for the times I have offered you only the dregs, whether it be half-heartedly muttered prayers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/lord-god-you-deserve-my-best-forgive-me-for-the-times-i-have-offered/) [Richard J. 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God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/to-say-that-prayer-changes-things-is-not-as-close-to-the-truth-as/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [PRAYER CHANGES THINGS! Prayer is not something you pull out of a magic hat when you are in a bind, but it is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kreger/prayer-changes-things-prayer-is-not-something-you-pull-out-of-a-magic/) [David Kreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kreger/) > [Like all good things, prayer requires some discipline. Yet I believe that life with God should seem more like friendship than duty. Prayer includes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/like-all-good-things-prayer-requires-some-discipline-yet-i-believe/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Prayer changes things? No! Prayer changes people, and people change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-changes-things-no-prayer-changes-people-and-people-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man's access in prayer to God opens everything and makes his impoverishment his wealth. All things are his through prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/man-s-access-in-prayer-to-god-opens-everything-and-makes-his/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [You can delegate many things, but prayer is not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/you-can-delegate-many-things-but-prayer-is-not-one-of-them/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [As a non believer I don't get the idea of asking god for things via prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/as-a-non-believer-i-don-t-get-the-idea-of-asking-god-for-things-via/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [Never will I pray for the material things of the world. I am not calling to a servant to bring me food. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/never-will-i-pray-for-the-material-things-of-the-world-i-am-not/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) ## More by Richard J. Foster > [Prayer is - listening for the still small voice of God. Listening with the "ear of our hearts."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-listening-for-the-still-small-voice-of-god-listening-with/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Over-consumption is a cancer eating away at our spiritual vitals. It distances us from the great masses of broken bleeding humanity. It converts us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/over-consumption-is-a-cancer-eating-away-at-our-spiritual-vitals-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“To believe that God can reach us and bless us in the ordinary junctures of daily life is the stuff of prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/to-believe-that-god-can-reach-us-and-bless-us-in-the-ordinary/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Prayer is simply saying "thank you, bless you, praise you."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-simply-saying-thank-you-bless-you-praise-you/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [There is an old proverb to the effect that 'all those who open their mouths, close their eyes!' The purpose of silence and solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/there-is-an-old-proverb-to-the-effect-that-all-those-who-open-their/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. This should not be. Of all people, we should be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-an-occupational-hazard-of-devout-folk-to-become-stuffy-bores/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Lord God, you deserve my best. Forgive me for the times I have offered you only the dregs, whether it be half-heartedly muttered prayers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/lord-god-you-deserve-my-best-forgive-me-for-the-times-i-have-offered/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/superficiality-is-the-curse-of-our-age-the-doctrine-of-instant/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [If worship does not change us it has not been worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/if-worship-does-not-change-us-it-has-not-been-worship/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“I want to mention one other reason why we shy away from commitment. It is, very simply, the fear that we will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/i-want-to-mention-one-other-reason-why-we-shy-away-from-commitment-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“It is one thing to act like a servant; it is quite another to be a servant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-one-thing-to-act-like-a-servant-it-is-quite-another-to-be-a/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“we hold on so tightly to the good that we do know that we cannot receive the greater good that we do not know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/we-hold-on-so-tightly-to-the-good-that-we-do-know-that-we-cannot/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Once we have made generous latitude for individual differences and schedules, we must firmly discipline ourselves to a regular pattern of prayer. We cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/once-we-have-made-generous-latitude-for-individual-differences-and/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Freedom in the Gospel does not mean license. It means opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/freedom-in-the-gospel-does-not-mean-license-it-means-opportunity/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation. A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/the-tongue-is-our-most-powerful-weapon-of-manipulation-a-frantic/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) [Explore all 239 Richard J. Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## More Pray quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [You should never stress and worry when you can always pray and have Faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-never-stress-and-worry-when-you-can-always-pray-and-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anything you pray for, you need to prepare for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-franklin/anything-you-pray-for-you-need-to-prepare-for/) [DeVon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-franklin/) > [The only people without problems are in cemeteries. If you don't have problems, get on your knees and pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/the-only-people-without-problems-are-in-cemeteries-if-you-don-t-have/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/importunity-is-a-condition-of-prayer-we-are-to-press-the-matter-not/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [If you love someone pray about it. If it's meant to be God will lead you to them. He will never lead you down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-love-someone-pray-about-it-if-it-s-meant-to-be-god-will-lead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) > [As the Quakers say, "When you pray, move your feet."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/as-the-quakers-say-when-you-pray-move-your-feet/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Pray to Saint Philomena, What ever you ask from her, She will obtain for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-gregory-xvi/pray-to-saint-philomena-what-ever-you-ask-from-her-she-will-obtain/) [Pope Gregory XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-gregory-xvi/) [Browse all 2,552 Pray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is that we should learn to pray even while we are dwelling on evil. Perhaps we are waging an interior battle over anger, or lust, or pride, or greed, or ambition. We need not isolate these things from prayer.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard J. 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