--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can be living in a big house, driving…" description: "\"You can be living in a big house, driving a nice car, going on exotic vacations and still be empty inside, crippled with fear and dread.\" — Rob Bell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg" --- # You can be living in a big house, driving a nice car… ![“You can be living in a big house, driving a nice car, going on exotic vacations and still be empty inside, crippled with fear and dread.” quote by Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg) > “You can be living in a big house, driving a nice car, going on exotic vacations and still be empty inside, crippled with fear and dread.” [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Material wealth cannot fill inner emptiness; fear and dread persist despite external success. **In simple terms:** Wealth doesn’t cure inner fear. Key Takeaway Address inner fears, not just external success. Themes materialism emptiness fear Mood introspective somber Type self-help philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - mindfulness practice - financial planning Key Concepts psychology spiritual health Questions to Reflect On - What inner void do you feel? - How to confront dread? A Different Perspective External success may mask deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big houses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-houses/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Empty Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-inside/) [Exotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exotic/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Nice cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-cars/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) ## Related quotes > [A high income job, a big house, nice cars, and lavish vacations don't mean you are rich, in fact it could mean exactly opposite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/a-high-income-job-a-big-house-nice-cars-and-lavish-vacations-don-t/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I thought that if I could play rugby on TV, I'd be able to get my mum a house. That was the driving factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-bill-williams/i-thought-that-if-i-could-play-rugby-on-tv-i-d-be-able-to-get-my-mum/) [Sonny Bill Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-bill-williams/) > [Like one, that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And turns no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/like-one-that-on-a-lonesome-road-doth-walk-in-fear-and-dread-and/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“...she still stopped when her mind moved towards real fear or dread or, worse, towards the thought that she was going to lose this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-toibin/she-still-stopped-when-her-mind-moved-towards-real-fear-or-dread-or/) [Colm Tóibín](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-toibin/) > [“Like one who, on a lonely road, Doth walk in fear and dread, And, having once turned round, walks on, And turns no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-shelley/like-one-who-on-a-lonely-road-doth-walk-in-fear-and-dread-and-having/) [Mary Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-shelley/) > [My aim then was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/my-aim-then-was-to-whip-the-rebels-to-humble-their-pride-to-follow-2/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [These are the tears ~~ The tears we shed ~~ This is the fear ~~ This is the dread ~~ These are the contents of my head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/these-are-the-tears-the-tears-we-shed-this-is-the-fear-this-is-the/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [I would... learn how to drive... have a nice car... and drive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-payne/i-would-learn-how-to-drive-have-a-nice-car-and-drive-it/) [Liam Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-payne/) > [I've got a nice, big house. I've got two nice cars, including a Bentley, and I'm test-driving a Porsche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lafferty/i-ve-got-a-nice-big-house-i-ve-got-two-nice-cars-including-a-bentley/) [Kyle Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lafferty/) > [The most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity and to not give in to peer pressure to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-most-important-thing-in-your-life-is-to-live-your-life-with/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Everybody who comes from the gangster life - they want what that man in the suburbs wants. Nice family. Nice house. Nice cars. Bills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/everybody-who-comes-from-the-gangster-life-they-want-what-that-man-in/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [I don't think Mercedes-Benz says anything about me, really. I was in a situation where I was able to get a really nice car,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lee-smith/i-don-t-think-mercedes-benz-says-anything-about-me-really-i-was-in-a/) [Lauren Lee Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lee-smith/) > [Stroll into work at 10. Lunch from 12 till three. Leave work at five. That's living!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/stroll-into-work-at-10-lunch-from-12-till-three-leave-work-at-five/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [Most wealth is inconspicuous. The man down the street driving the nice car and living in the mansion could easily have greater debt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loral-langemeier/most-wealth-is-inconspicuous-the-man-down-the-street-driving-the-nice/) [Loral Langemeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loral-langemeier/) > [With our dramas, we have a lot of shows that feature very well-to-do, well-educated people who are driving very nice cars and living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-dungey/with-our-dramas-we-have-a-lot-of-shows-that-feature-very-well-to-do/) [Channing Dungey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-dungey/) ## More by Rob Bell > [If the gospel isn't good news for everybody, then it isn't good news for anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/if-the-gospel-isn-t-good-news-for-everybody-then-it-isn-t-good-news/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/why-blame-the-dark-for-being-dark-it-is-far-more-helpful-to-ask-why/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“This story... blasts to pieces our biases and labels with a declaration that God is on everyone's side, extending grace and compassion to everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/this-story-blasts-to-pieces-our-biases-and-labels-with-a-declaration/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [One truth is that suffering raises profound questions with the universe. The other truth is that grace, gift and generosity also raise profound questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/one-truth-is-that-suffering-raises-profound-questions-with-the/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [For Jesus, heaven and hell were present realities. Ways of living we can enter into here and now. He talked very little of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/for-jesus-heaven-and-hell-were-present-realities-ways-of-living-we/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [Love is what God is, love is why Jesus came, and love is why he continues to come, year after year to person after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/love-is-what-god-is-love-is-why-jesus-came-and-love-is-why-he/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [I believe that God is love. I believe that Jesus came to show us this love, to give us this love, to teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-believe-that-god-is-love-i-believe-that-jesus-came-to-show-us-this/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [If the gospel isn't good news for everybody, then it isn't good news for anybody. And this is because the most powerful things happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/if-the-gospel-isn-t-good-news-for-everybody-then-it-isn-t-good-news-2/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“I don’t read the Bible like a flat line. I don’t see all of the passages in the Bible sitting equally side by side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-don-t-read-the-bible-like-a-flat-line-i-don-t-see-all-of-the/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [To elevate abstract doctrines and dogmas over living, breathing, embodied experiences of God's love and grace, then, is going the wrong direction. It's taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/to-elevate-abstract-doctrines-and-dogmas-over-living-breathing/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [The modern world has created airports and hospitals and put 10,000 songs in our pocket. It has built gleaming buildings and computers and advances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/the-modern-world-has-created-airports-and-hospitals-and-put-10-000/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [God is bigger than the Christian faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/god-is-bigger-than-the-christian-faith/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [What you believe about the future shapes, informs, and determines how you live now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/what-you-believe-about-the-future-shapes-informs-and-determines-how/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [The life you want begins by embracing the life you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/the-life-you-want-begins-by-embracing-the-life-you-have/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [It takes quite a spine to turn the other cheek. It takes phenomenal fortitude to love your enemy. It takes firm resolve to pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/it-takes-quite-a-spine-to-turn-the-other-cheek-it-takes-phenomenal/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) [Explore all 305 Rob Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) ## More Big houses quotes > [I think setting goals is critical; having deadlines for ourselves- how much by when? Too many people have these big dreams where they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/i-think-setting-goals-is-critical-having-deadlines-for-ourselves-how/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [It's not like being a professional basketball player where you're in a big house. Maybe three, four or five guys make a couple million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-grillo/it-s-not-like-being-a-professional-basketball-player-where-you-re-in/) [Frank Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-grillo/) > [When people are breaking the law, they don’t get an invitation to the White House. They ought to be getting an invitation to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/when-people-are-breaking-the-law-they-don-t-get-an-invitation-to-the/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [You want the people to know, but you don't really want the things behind it. I have everything I ever wanted. I never wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fetty-wap/you-want-the-people-to-know-but-you-don-t-really-want-the-things/) [Fetty Wap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fetty-wap/) > [People are so obsessed with making their careers and having a big house; then you realize that kills your dreams. It even kills what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-szostak/people-are-so-obsessed-with-making-their-careers-and-having-a-big/) [Stephanie Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-szostak/) > [I just always knew I was going to be a star. I was always going to be rich so I could buy things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-just-always-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-star-i-was-always-going-to-be/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [It was strange to have no self-to be like a little boy left alone in a big house, who knew that now he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-was-strange-to-have-no-self-to-be-like-a-little-boy-left-alone-in/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The happiest I ever been was when I was a struggling actor. I've had big houses and small houses. I always had work available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dreyfuss/the-happiest-i-ever-been-was-when-i-was-a-struggling-actor-i-ve-had/) [Richard Dreyfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dreyfuss/) > [I think what you see a lot of in American religion, even in areas of American Christianity that don't go all the way with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/i-think-what-you-see-a-lot-of-in-american-religion-even-in-areas-of/) [Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/) > [Being happy with less is what makes a great human being, not a big house with marble floors, or everyone knowing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/being-happy-with-less-is-what-makes-a-great-human-being-not-a-big/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) > [I used to drive around looking at the big houses, wondering how they got there. I used to love biographies about successful business people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-used-to-drive-around-looking-at-the-big-houses-wondering-how-they/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [There used to be this guy called Vinny who worked on the floor of the stock exchange, said one big investor who had observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/there-used-to-be-this-guy-called-vinny-who-worked-on-the-floor-of-the/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [My show 'The Big House' was picked up; they flew me to New York. I'm about to step on stage to announce Kevin Hart's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/my-show-the-big-house-was-picked-up-they-flew-me-to-new-york-i-m/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [I realised Life is so short and precious, you should do things that make you feel inspired, that push you and teach you something.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-realised-life-is-so-short-and-precious-you-should-do-things-that/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [I'm living the dream. I've got a big tour bus, an incredible band, a big house, and a family that are all taken care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-watson/i-m-living-the-dream-i-ve-got-a-big-tour-bus-an-incredible-band-a-big/) [Aaron Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-watson/) [Browse all 47 Big houses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-houses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can be living in a big house, driving a nice car, going on exotic vacations and still be empty inside, crippled with fear and dread.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rob Bell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving-a-nice-car-going-on-exotic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big houses" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving-a-nice-car-going-on-exotic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rob-bell-1025_big-houses_you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving_2627280.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can be living in a big house, driving a nice car, going on exotic vacations and still be empty inside…” — Rob Bell", "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": "Rob Bell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can be living in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving-a-nice-car-going-on-exotic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/you-can-be-living-in-a-big-house-driving-a-nice-car-going-on-exotic/#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 } } ] } ```