--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A generous prayer is never presented in…" description: "\"A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition may be refused, but the petitioner is always, I believe, rewarded by some gracious visitatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg" --- # A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition… ![“A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition may be refused, but the petitioner is always, I believe, rewarded by some gracious visitation.” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg) > “A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition may be refused, but the petitioner is always, I believe, rewarded by some gracious visitation.” [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer may not change outcomes, but it offers inner comfort and a sense of being attended to. **In simple terms:** Prayer comforts even if unanswered. Key Takeaway Find solace in sincere petitions. Themes faith comfort patience Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - times of grief - decision making - seeking guidance Key Concepts spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does prayer mean to you? - How do you cope when prayers feel unanswered? A Different Perspective Faith alone may not resolve practical issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Petitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petitions/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [“And now the minister prayed. A good, generous prayer it was, and went into details: it pleaded for the church, and the little children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/and-now-the-minister-prayed-a-good-generous-prayer-it-was-and-went/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Visitation reflects the era of the absentee father; parent time influences the re-emergence of the involved father. Visitation reflects the destruction of the family;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/visitation-reflects-the-era-of-the-absentee-father-parent-time/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [Vic nudged my elbow with his. "You and me are still friends, right? You guys get a joint custody in the divorce. Generous visitations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/vic-nudged-my-elbow-with-his-you-and-me-are-still-friends-right-you/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [There were momentary visitations. I was a visitor, not an inhabitant. I think I say that at the beginning of the book: "I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/there-were-momentary-visitations-i-was-a-visitor-not-an-inhabitant-i/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Burning the candle at both ends for God's sake may be foolishness to the world, but it is a profitable Christian exercise-for so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/burning-the-candle-at-both-ends-for-god-s-sake-may-be-foolishness-to/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The girl's arms jutted out at awkward angles, not quite hands on the hips belligerent but not relaxed either, as if they weren't all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/the-girl-s-arms-jutted-out-at-awkward-angles-not-quite-hands-on-the/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Is it not a thing most abominable, that God who feeds so many mouths, should be held in such low esteem by me, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/is-it-not-a-thing-most-abominable-that-god-who-feeds-so-many-mouths/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Our children are better served by speaking not of visitation versus custody, but of parent time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/our-children-are-better-served-by-speaking-not-of-visitation-versus/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [“He imagined the pain of the world to be like some formless parasitic being seeking out the warmth of human souls wherein to incubate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-imagined-the-pain-of-the-world-to-be-like-some-formless-parasitic/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > […Then another porpoise broke the water and rolled toward us. A third and fourth porpoise neared. The visitation was something so rare and perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/then-another-porpoise-broke-the-water-and-rolled-toward-us-a-third/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [I couldn't have foreseen all the good things that have followed my mother's death. The renewed energy, the surprising sweetness of grief. The tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/i-couldn-t-have-foreseen-all-the-good-things-that-have-followed-my/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Visitation Street is urban opera writ large. Gritty and magical, filled with mystery, poetry and pain, Ivy Pochoda’s voice recalls Richard Price, Junot Diaz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/visitation-street-is-urban-opera-writ-large-gritty-and-magical-filled/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/revival-is-the-visitation-of-god-which-brings-to-life-christians-who/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [The crowning blessing of a true visitation of the Holy Spirit is a mighty harvest for the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-wallis/the-crowning-blessing-of-a-true-visitation-of-the-holy-spirit-is-a/) [Arthur Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-wallis/) > [It was a world that I wanted to record because it was such a miracle visitation to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-lee/it-was-a-world-that-i-wanted-to-record-because-it-was-such-a-miracle/) [Laurie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-lee/) ## More by Robert Louis Stevenson > [You must suffer me to go my own dark way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-must-suffer-me-to-go-my-own-dark-way/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Nobody speaks of a beautifful view for 5 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/nobody-speaks-of-a-beautifful-view-for-5-minutes/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find is an honest friend. He is a fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/we-are-all-travelers-in-the-wilderness-of-this-world-and-the-best/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The little rift between the sexes is astonishingly widened by simply teaching one set of catchwords to the girls and another to the boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-little-rift-between-the-sexes-is-astonishingly-widened-by-simply/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The problem of education is twofold: first to know, and then to utter. Everyone who lives any semblance of an inner life thinks more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-problem-of-education-is-twofold-first-to-know-and-then-to-utter/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“For thirty years," he said, "I've sailed the seas and seen good and bad, better and worse, fair weather and foul, provisions running out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/for-thirty-years-he-said-i-ve-sailed-the-seas-and-seen-good-and-bad/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like a thunder-cloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/mutiny-it-was-plain-hung-over-us-like-a-thunder-cloud/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Jealousy is the most radical primeval and naked form of admiration in war paint, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/jealousy-is-the-most-radical-primeval-and-naked-form-of-admiration-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [You have no idea, unless you have tried it, how endlessly long is a summer's day, that you measure out only by hunger, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-have-no-idea-unless-you-have-tried-it-how-endlessly-long-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/to-be-idle-requires-a-strong-sense-of-personal-identity/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/loving-god-help-us-remember-the-birth-of-jesus-that-we-may-share-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The friendly cow, all red and white, I love with all my heart; She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-friendly-cow-all-red-and-white-i-love-with-all-my-heart-she-gives/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) [Explore all 701 Robert Louis Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition may be refused, but the petitioner is always, I believe, rewarded by some gracious visitation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Louis Stevenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in-vain-the-petition-may-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in-vain-the-petition-may-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/robert-louis-stevenson-289_angel_a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in_1607940.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition may be refused, but the petitioner is always, I…” — Robert Louis Stevenson", "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": "Robert Louis Stevenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A generous prayer is never presented...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in-vain-the-petition-may-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/a-generous-prayer-is-never-presented-in-vain-the-petition-may-be/#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 } } ] } ```