--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The function of prayer is not to…" description: "\"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.\" — Soren Kierkegaard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/soren-kierkegaard-578_change_the-function-of-prayer-is-not-to-influen_2071370.jpg" --- # The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather… ![“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” quote by Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/soren-kierkegaard-578_change_the-function-of-prayer-is-not-to-influen_2071370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/soren-kierkegaard-578_change_the-function-of-prayer-is-not-to-influen_2071370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/soren-kierkegaard-578_change_the-function-of-prayer-is-not-to-influen_2071370.jpg) > “The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer transforms the believer, not the deity; it reshapes the pray-er's character. **In simple terms:** Prayer changes you, not God. Key Takeaway Use prayer for self‑growth. Themes spirituality self‑improvement humility Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - meditation - conflict resolution Key Concepts theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What inner changes do you seek through prayer? - How does this view affect your relationship with the divine? A Different Perspective If you view prayer as control, you may become frustrated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Function Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function-prayer-2405936/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-change/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Influence God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence-god-1960363/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-influence-3141747/) [Prays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prays/) ## Related quotes > [The purpose of prayer is not to influence God to grant you special favors, but rather to remind yourself that you are always connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/the-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-influence-god-to-grant-you-special/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [When you pray it's not meant to influence God, it's meant to change the outlook of the one who prays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-pray-it-s-not-meant-to-influence-god-it-s-meant-to-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We do not step out of the world when we pray; we merely see the world in a different setting. The self is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/we-do-not-step-out-of-the-world-when-we-pray-we-merely-see-the-world/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“Have you ever wondered why Christ spent so much time in prayer? It was not that He lacked anything. But it was simply that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-delgado/have-you-ever-wondered-why-christ-spent-so-much-time-in-prayer-it-was/) [Iris Delgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-delgado/) > [There is a higher power, a higher influence, a God who rules and reigns and controls circumstances and situations that are beyond your area…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-higher-power-a-higher-influence-a-god-who-rules-and-reigns/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One of the first, and most important of those duties which are incumbent upon us, is fervent and united prayer. However the influence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/one-of-the-first-and-most-important-of-those-duties-which-are/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [Angel of God, my guardian dear To whom God's love commits me here; Ever this day be at my side, To light and guard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/angel-of-god-my-guardian-dear-to-whom-god-s-love-commits-me-here-ever-2/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/prayer-does-not-change-god-but-it-changes-him-who-prays/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Prayer does not influence God. Prayer surely does influence God. It does not influence His purpose. It does influence His action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-gordon/prayer-does-not-influence-god-prayer-surely-does-influence-god-it/) [S. D Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-gordon/) > [The more you care about the powerless, the more power you have. The more you serve those with no influence, the more influence God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-more-you-care-about-the-powerless-the-more-power-you-have-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“In many ways politics follows culture. As ancient Greek musician Damon of Athens said, ‘Show me the lyric of a nation and it matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kinnaman/in-many-ways-politics-follows-culture-as-ancient-greek-musician-damon/) [David Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kinnaman/) > [“I’m talking about influence that God wants to give us. I’m talking about opportunities. I’m talking about walking in paths of righteousness for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/i-m-talking-about-influence-that-god-wants-to-give-us-i-m-talking/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [God has called us to SHINE, just as much as Daniel was sent into Babylon to shine. Let no one say that he cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/god-has-called-us-to-shine-just-as-much-as-daniel-was-sent-into/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [“We must retain the remembrance of God's works, that we may remain under the influence of God's law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/we-must-retain-the-remembrance-of-god-s-works-that-we-may-remain/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Whatever I think, talk and do is because of the influence of God. My music is a tribute to Him. Whenever I compose any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bappi-lahiri/whatever-i-think-talk-and-do-is-because-of-the-influence-of-god-my/) [Bappi Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bappi-lahiri/) ## More by Soren Kierkegaard > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Christians remind me of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christians-remind-me-of-schoolboys-who-want-to-look-up-the-answers-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/people-commonly-travel-the-world-over-to-see-rivers-and-mountains-new/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“A strange thing happened to me in my dream. I was rapt into the Seventh Heaven. There sat all the gods assembled. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-strange-thing-happened-to-me-in-my-dream-i-was-rapt-into-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [That which is truly human no generation learns from the one before it. No generation learns from another how to love. No generation has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/that-which-is-truly-human-no-generation-learns-from-the-one-before-it/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A man may perform astonishing feats and comprehend a vast amount of knowledge, and yet have no understanding of himself. But suffering directs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-may-perform-astonishing-feats-and-comprehend-a-vast-amount-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Be that self which one truly is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/be-that-self-which-one-truly-is/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I go fishing for a thousand monsters in the depths of my own self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-go-fishing-for-a-thousand-monsters-in-the-depths-of-my-own-self/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, not heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism - no, but the kind of orthodoxy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-greatest-danger-to-christianity-is-i-contend-not-heresies-not/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Future is everything that past has forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/future-is-everything-that-past-has-forgotten/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Without risk, faith is an impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/without-risk-faith-is-an-impossibility/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have only one confidant, and that is the silence of night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-only-one-confidant-and-that-is-the-silence-of-night/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A road well begun is the battle half won. The important thing is to make a beginning and get under way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-road-well-begun-is-the-battle-half-won-the-important-thing-is-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have, I believe, the courage to doubt everything; I have, I believe, the courage to fight against everything; but I do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-i-believe-the-courage-to-doubt-everything-i-have-i-believe-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) [Explore all 462 Soren Kierkegaard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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