--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So he that despairs, limits an Infinite…" description: "\"So he that despairs, limits an Infinite Power to a Finite Apprehension, and measures Providence by his own little, contracted Model.\" — Robert South" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/robert-south-15753_anticipation_so-he-that-despairs-limits-an-infinite-p_3014508.jpg" --- # So he that despairs, limits an Infinite Power to a Finite… ![“So he that despairs, limits an Infinite Power to a Finite Apprehension, and measures Providence by his own little, contracted Model.” quote by Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/robert-south-15753_anticipation_so-he-that-despairs-limits-an-infinite-p_3014508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/robert-south-15753_anticipation_so-he-that-despairs-limits-an-infinite-p_3014508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/robert-south-15753_anticipation_so-he-that-despairs-limits-an-infinite-p_3014508.jpg) > “So he that despairs, limits an Infinite Power to a Finite Apprehension, and measures Providence by his own little, contracted Model.” [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Limiting divine power to human understanding creates a narrow view of providence, reducing its vastness to personal models. **In simple terms:** Human models shrink divine scope. Key Takeaway Recognize divine mystery beyond personal concepts. Themes theology humility perspective Mood thoughtful serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - faith discussions - philosophical essays - spiritual counseling - academic study Key Concepts divine mystery human limitation Questions to Reflect On - How to reconcile limited understanding with belief? - What practices expand perception of the divine? A Different Perspective May cause doubt in faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) [Apprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Despairs Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despairs-limits-4849238/) [Finite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finite/) [Finite Apprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finite-apprehension-4849237/) [Infinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite/) [Infinite power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite-power/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Measures Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measures-providence-3533737/) [Models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/models/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) ## Related quotes > [He that despairs measures Providence by his own little contracted model and limits infinite power to finite apprehensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/he-that-despairs-measures-providence-by-his-own-little-contracted/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [I dare not think that any supercelestial heaven, or whatsoever else ... was increate and eternal. And as for the place of God before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/i-dare-not-think-that-any-supercelestial-heaven-or-whatsoever-else/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [The intellectual power is never at rest; it is never satisfied with any comprehended truth, but ever proceeds on and on towards that truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/the-intellectual-power-is-never-at-rest-it-is-never-satisfied-with/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Do you know how much energy, how many powers, how many forces, are still lurking behind that frame of yours? What scientist has known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/do-you-know-how-much-energy-how-many-powers-how-many-forces-are-still/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [If you tell the truth, you have infinite power supporting you; but if not, you have infinite power against you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-tell-the-truth-you-have-infinite-power-supporting-you-but-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If God in all of His infinite power and love were real to us, the opinions of men, either for or against us, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hunt/if-god-in-all-of-his-infinite-power-and-love-were-real-to-us-the/) [Dave Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hunt/) > [Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/owning-our-story-can-be-hard-but-not-nearly-as-difficult-as-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Behind me is infinite power, before me is endless possibility, around me is boundless opportunity. My strength is mental, physical and spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/50-cent/behind-me-is-infinite-power-before-me-is-endless-possibility-around/) [50 Cent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/50-cent/) > [Have faith in yourself. You people were once the Vedic Rishis. Only, you have come in different forms, that's all. I see it clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/have-faith-in-yourself-you-people-were-once-the-vedic-rishis-only-you/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“I Approve of my power to create Infinite love I am, Infinite Power I am Grateful we are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-blanco/i-approve-of-my-power-to-create-infinite-love-i-am-infinite-power-i/) [Rhys Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-blanco/) > [“Music has infinite power to reach the gap between the heart and the soul to create infinite and ineffable joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/music-has-infinite-power-to-reach-the-gap-between-the-heart-and-the/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [When you contact the Higher Self, the source of power within, you tap into a reservoir of infinite power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/when-you-contact-the-higher-self-the-source-of-power-within-you-tap/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Each person is born with an infinite power, against which no earthly force is of the slightest significance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/each-person-is-born-with-an-infinite-power-against-which-no-earthly/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [ Let us realise \[that\] we are the infinite power. Who put a limit to the power of mind? Let us realise we are all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-us-realise-that-we-are-the-infinite-power-who-put-a-limit-to-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The history of the world is the history of a few men who had faith in themselves. That faith calls out the divinity within.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-history-of-the-world-is-the-history-of-a-few-men-who-had-faith-in/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More by Robert South > [There is not the least flower but seems to hold up its head, and to look pleasantly, in the secret sense of the goodness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/there-is-not-the-least-flower-but-seems-to-hold-up-its-head-and-to/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Action is the highest perfection and drawing forth of the utmost power, vigor, and activity of man's nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/action-is-the-highest-perfection-and-drawing-forth-of-the-utmost/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Loquacity storms the ear, but modesty takes the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/loquacity-storms-the-ear-but-modesty-takes-the-heart/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [The mind begins to boggle at unnatural substances as things paradoxical and incomprehensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/the-mind-begins-to-boggle-at-unnatural-substances-as-things/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [The grateful person fears no court or judge, no sentence or executioner, but what he carries about him in his own breast: and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/the-grateful-person-fears-no-court-or-judge-no-sentence-or/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [In all worldly things that a man pursues with the greatest eagerness he finds not half the pleasure in the possession that he proposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/in-all-worldly-things-that-a-man-pursues-with-the-greatest-eagerness/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Speech was given to the ordinary sort or men, whereby to communicate their mind; but to wise men, whereby to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/speech-was-given-to-the-ordinary-sort-or-men-whereby-to-communicate/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [God expects from men something more than at such times, and that it were much to be wished for the credit of their religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/god-expects-from-men-something-more-than-at-such-times-and-that-it/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [It is a noble and great thing to cover the blemishes and excuse the failings of a friend; to draw a curtain before his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/it-is-a-noble-and-great-thing-to-cover-the-blemishes-and-excuse-the/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [The seven wise men of Greece, so famous for their wisdom all the world over, acquired all that fame, each of them, by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/the-seven-wise-men-of-greece-so-famous-for-their-wisdom-all-the-world/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Flints may be melted - we see it daily - but an ungrateful heart cannot be; not by the strongest and noblest flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/flints-may-be-melted-we-see-it-daily-but-an-ungrateful-heart-cannot/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [He who does a kindness to an ungrateful person, sets his seal to a flint and sows his seed upon the sand; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/he-who-does-a-kindness-to-an-ungrateful-person-sets-his-seal-to-a/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Anger is a transient hatred; or at least very like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/anger-is-a-transient-hatred-or-at-least-very-like-it/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [God afflicts with the mind of a father, and kills for no other purpose but that he may raise again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/god-afflicts-with-the-mind-of-a-father-and-kills-for-no-other-purpose/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [A man's life is an appendix to his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/a-man-s-life-is-an-appendix-to-his-heart/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) [Explore all 42 Robert South quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) ## More Anticipation quotes > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [Long intros are cool because there's a little bit of anticipation, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/long-intros-are-cool-because-there-s-a-little-bit-of-anticipation-you/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/) [Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/) > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“O I'm so afraid that it's true about to travel hopefully being better than to arrive. It might be all in the quest, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brophy/o-i-m-so-afraid-that-it-s-true-about-to-travel-hopefully-being-better/) [Brigid Brophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brophy/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [The so called unconscious inferences can be traced back to the all-preserving memory, which presents us with parallel experiences and hence already knows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-so-called-unconscious-inferences-can-be-traced-back-to-the-all/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with \[women\] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i-do-dance-with-women-they/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. 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