--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prayer is not about changing God, but…" description: "\"Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us.\" — Richard Rohr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png" --- # Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let… ![“Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us.” quote by Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png) > “Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us.” [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual growth comes from surrendering to divine transformation rather than trying to control God. **In simple terms:** Let God change you. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and openness. Themes spirituality transformation humility Mood contemplative hopeful Type religious inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - counseling - life crises - ethical decisions Key Concepts theology inner work Questions to Reflect On - How can you invite divine influence? - What fears block your surrender? A Different Perspective Change can be resisted if ego dominates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“The reason God responds to persistence is because prayer is changing the one who prays. As we pray, God is making us spiritually fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macdonald/the-reason-god-responds-to-persistence-is-because-prayer-is-changing/) [James MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macdonald/) > [“For the first time in my life, I fully realized that I was not in charge. I knew that I needed to submit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-w-pearson/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-fully-realized-that-i-was-not-in/) [Kevin W. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-w-pearson/) > [Prayer is less about changing the world than it is about changing ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wolpe/prayer-is-less-about-changing-the-world-than-it-is-about-changing/) [David Wolpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wolpe/) > [A mother's love is like a beacon, Burning bright with Faith and Prayer, And through the changing scenes of life, We can find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-steiner-rice/a-mother-s-love-is-like-a-beacon-burning-bright-with-faith-and-prayer/) [Helen Steiner Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-steiner-rice/) > [So many visitors came to rub and kiss different parts of him for the fulfillment of their various wishes that his entire body had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/so-many-visitors-came-to-rub-and-kiss-different-parts-of-him-for-the/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [When all else is changing within and around, in God and His mercy no change can be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/when-all-else-is-changing-within-and-around-in-god-and-his-mercy-no/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Why?" The question left Luce's lips as a growl. "Why is it different now?" "Because of you," Abaddon said. "Losing someone special in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/why-the-question-left-luce-s-lips-as-a-growl-why-is-it-different-now/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“The only enduring motive for prayer is that our never-changing God is worthy to be sought. This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-henderson/the-only-enduring-motive-for-prayer-is-that-our-never-changing-god-is/) [Daniel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-henderson/) > [The world has changed and it's going to keep changing, but God never changes; so we are safe when we cling to Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/the-world-has-changed-and-it-s-going-to-keep-changing-but-god-never/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [“Adolescents are looking for a soul-shaking, heart-waking, world-changing God to fall in love with; and if they do not find that God in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/adolescents-are-looking-for-a-soul-shaking-heart-waking-world/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [..Science is changing. God's Word does not change!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/science-is-changing-god-s-word-does-not-change/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [For me to have the opportunity to stay with one character for, God willing, a long period of time, is really exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/for-me-to-have-the-opportunity-to-stay-with-one-character-for-god/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [God willing and the creek don't rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hawkins/god-willing-and-the-creek-don-t-rise/) Benjamin Hawkins > [“No matter what the cause, God is only as willing as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/no-matter-what-the-cause-god-is-only-as-willing-as-you-are/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [You will know as much of God, and only as much of God, as you are willing to put into practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liddell/you-will-know-as-much-of-god-and-only-as-much-of-god-as-you-are/) [Eric Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liddell/) ## More by Richard Rohr > [“We have become human doings more than human beings, and the verb “rest,” as Jesus uses it, is largely foreign to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-have-become-human-doings-more-than-human-beings-and-the-verb-rest/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [In my opinion, most organized religion does neither agentic service nor relational nurturance very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-my-opinion-most-organized-religion-does-neither-agentic-service/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/if-we-do-not-transform-our-pain-we-will-most-assuredly-transmit-it/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [In solitude, at last, we’re able to let God define us the way we are always supposed to be defined—by relationship: the I-thou relationship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-solitude-at-last-we-re-able-to-let-god-define-us-the-way-we-are/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Pain and suffering that are not transformed are usually projected onto others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/pain-and-suffering-that-are-not-transformed-are-usually-projected/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“In the end, we do not so much reclaim what we have lost as discover a significantly new self in and through the process.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-the-end-we-do-not-so-much-reclaim-what-we-have-lost-as-discover-a/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [All great spirituality is about what we do with our pain. If we do not transform our pain, we will transmit it to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/all-great-spirituality-is-about-what-we-do-with-our-pain-if-we-do-not/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“I would wonder if you could be a hero or heroine if you did not live in deep time, that is, Past, present, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/i-would-wonder-if-you-could-be-a-hero-or-heroine-if-you-did-not-live/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Nature is the one song of praise that never stops singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/nature-is-the-one-song-of-praise-that-never-stops-singing/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“I believe contemplation shows us that nothing inside us is as bad as our hatred and denial of the bad. Hating and denying it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/i-believe-contemplation-shows-us-that-nothing-inside-us-is-as-bad-as/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [We don't have much wisdom about the second half when things really open up and end up looking a lot more progressive. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-don-t-have-much-wisdom-about-the-second-half-when-things-really/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [If you do not transform your wounds you will transmit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/if-you-do-not-transform-your-wounds-you-will-transmit-them/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [The real spiritual journey is work. You can make a naïve assertion that you trust in Jesus, but until it is tested a good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/the-real-spiritual-journey-is-work-you-can-make-a-na-ve-assertion/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“The soul needs meaning as much as the body needs food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/the-soul-needs-meaning-as-much-as-the-body-needs-food/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) [Explore all 443 Richard Rohr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Rohr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-being-willing-to-let-god-change/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-being-willing-to-let-god-change/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/richard-rohr-618_change_prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-bei_1549125.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us.” — Richard Rohr", "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": "Richard Rohr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prayer is not about changing God,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-being-willing-to-let-god-change/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/prayer-is-not-about-changing-god-but-being-willing-to-let-god-change/#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 } } ] } ```