--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The cross, therefore, is always ready; it…" description: "\"“The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. \"No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yours..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg" --- # The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you… ![“The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. "No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself." Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and…” quote by Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg) > ““The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. "No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself." Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown.”” [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual truths are ever‑present; wherever you go, you carry your inner self and thus encounter the same challenges and opportunities for growth. **In simple terms:** Life’s lessons follow you everywhere. Key Takeaway Seek inner peace through patience. Themes spirituality inner growth patience eternity Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crises - daily routines - meditative practice - decision making Key Concepts Christian mysticism self‑reflection karma Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize the “cross” in everyday moments? - What practices help you cultivate patience? 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May the river not dry up and may the fish not die. We shall not shiver;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azuka-onwuka/may-the-river-be-may-the-fish-live-may-the-river-not-dry-up-and-may/) [Azuka Onwuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azuka-onwuka/) > [In things which we know, everyone will trust us ... and we may do as we please, and no one will like to interfere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-things-which-we-know-everyone-will-trust-us-and-we-may-do-as-we/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“When the dark comes rising, six shall turn it back; Three from the circle, three from the track; Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cooper/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back-three-from-the/) [Susan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cooper/) > [“The crackling sounds of an old and tired bridge can best be understood by an old and tired person! 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You only have to find a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-ajmera/please-remember-that-no-one-is-ever-going-to-carry-your-overloaded/) [Aditya Ajmera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-ajmera/) > [“There is a very important difference between the burdens that life puts on us and the burdens we put on our own lives: We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/there-is-a-very-important-difference-between-the-burdens-that-life/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“She is in charge of everything, but no one knows. It is a tremendous burden, she says, to be responsible for every little thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/she-is-in-charge-of-everything-but-no-one-knows-it-is-a-tremendous/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [“Pressure causes a rock to erode and eventually deteriorate but it causes a human being to be remade and eventually rejuvenate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahiem-azeiem/pressure-causes-a-rock-to-erode-and-eventually-deteriorate-but-it/) [Ibrahiem Azeiem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahiem-azeiem/) ## More by Thomas à Kempis > [Have therefore zeal to better thyself and then mayst thou have zeal to thy neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/have-therefore-zeal-to-better-thyself-and-then-mayst-thou-have-zeal/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Patience is necessary in this life because so much of life is fraught with adversity. No matter how hard we try, our lives will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/patience-is-necessary-in-this-life-because-so-much-of-life-is-fraught/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/to-take-no-account-of-oneself-but-always-to-think-well-and-highly-of/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [It is easier not to speak a word at all than to speak more words than we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-easier-not-to-speak-a-word-at-all-than-to-speak-more-words-than/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Be Yourself -The man who is neither bent upon pleasing his fellows nor afraid of offending them will enjoy great peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/be-yourself-the-man-who-is-neither-bent-upon-pleasing-his-fellows-nor/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“0 true and heavenly grace, without which our own merits are nothing, and our natural gifts of no account! Neither arts nor riches, beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/0-true-and-heavenly-grace-without-which-our-own-merits-are-nothing/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [If you would endeavor, like men of courage, to stand in the battle, surely we would feel the favorable assistance of God from heaven.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-you-would-endeavor-like-men-of-courage-to-stand-in-the-battle/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“No man safely goeth abroad who loveth not to rest at home. No man safely talketh but he who loveth to hold his peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-safely-goeth-abroad-who-loveth-not-to-rest-at-home-no-man/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“Nature has a relish for knowing secrets and hearing news. It wishes to appear abroad and to have sense experiences. It wishes to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/nature-has-a-relish-for-knowing-secrets-and-hearing-news-it-wishes-to/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/love-is-watchful-sleeping-it-does-not-slumber-wearied-it-is-not-tired/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [If you bear the cross gladly, it will bear you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-you-bear-the-cross-gladly-it-will-bear-you/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Be thankful for the smallest blessing, and you will be worthy to receive greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/be-thankful-for-the-smallest-blessing-and-you-will-be-worthy-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [If you cast away one cross, you will certainly find another, and perhaps a heavier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-you-cast-away-one-cross-you-will-certainly-find-another-and/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Dispose thyself to patience rather than to comfort, and to the bearing of the cross rather than to gladness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/dispose-thyself-to-patience-rather-than-to-comfort-and-to-the-bearing/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) [Explore all 387 Thomas à Kempis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) ## More Affliction quotes > [I don't feel insecure about any of this work anymore. Maybe I don't have what I had when I was younger. I'm not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-don-t-feel-insecure-about-any-of-this-work-anymore-maybe-i-don-t/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Every man will have his own criterion in forming his judgment of others. I depend very much on the effect of affliction. I consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/every-man-will-have-his-own-criterion-in-forming-his-judgment-of/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Henceforth, I'll bear Affliction till it do cry out itself, 'Enough, enough, and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/henceforth-i-ll-bear-affliction-till-it-do-cry-out-itself-enough/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [New materials are one of the great afflictions of contemporary art. Some artists confuse new materials with new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/new-materials-are-one-of-the-great-afflictions-of-contemporary-art/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Aimee Parkison offers a distinct new voice to contemporary fiction. Her seductive stories explore childhood as a realm of sorrows, and reveal the afflictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-anshaw/aimee-parkison-offers-a-distinct-new-voice-to-contemporary-fiction/) [Carol Anshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-anshaw/) > [May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and-may-none-fail-because-of/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [We are infinitely more than our limitations and afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-infinitely-more-than-our-limitations-and-afflictions/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Afflictions make the heart more deep, more experimental, more knowing and profound, and so, more able to hold, to contain, and beat more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/afflictions-make-the-heart-more-deep-more-experimental-more-knowing/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Religion prescribes to every miserable man the means of bettering his condition; nay, it shows him that the bearing of his afflictions as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/religion-prescribes-to-every-miserable-man-the-means-of-bettering-his/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Short-term amnesia is not the worst affliction if you have an Irish flair for the sauce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/short-term-amnesia-is-not-the-worst-affliction-if-you-have-an-irish/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Revolution will free society of its afflictions, while science will free the individual of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/revolution-will-free-society-of-its-afflictions-while-science-will/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) [Browse all 598 Affliction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affliction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. \"No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself.\" Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas à Kempis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-awaits-you-everywhere-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affliction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-awaits-you-everywhere-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/thomas-a-kempis-721_affliction_the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-a_2413079.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. \"No matter where you may go, you cannot…” — Thomas à Kempis", "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": "Thomas à Kempis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The cross, therefore, is always ready;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-awaits-you-everywhere-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/the-cross-therefore-is-always-ready-it-awaits-you-everywhere-no/#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 } } ] } ```