--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: he’d spent his whole life trying to make…" description: "\"“he’d spent his whole life trying to make God love him—and that this didn’t matter in the slightest. All that mattered was that he loved God. He told m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/thomas-mallon-17707_god-love_he-d-spent-his-whole-life-trying-to-make_12729.jpg" --- # he’d spent his whole life trying to make God love him—and… ![“he’d spent his whole life trying to make God love him—and that this didn’t matter in the slightest. All that mattered was that he loved God. He told me that once he knew this he was home free.” quote by Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/thomas-mallon-17707_god-love_he-d-spent-his-whole-life-trying-to-make_12729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/thomas-mallon-17707_god-love_he-d-spent-his-whole-life-trying-to-make_12729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/thomas-mallon-17707_god-love_he-d-spent-his-whole-life-trying-to-make_12729.jpg) > ““he’d spent his whole life trying to make God love him—and that this didn’t matter in the slightest. All that mattered was that he loved God. He told me that once he knew this he was home free.”” [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The core idea is that divine love is unconditional; personal effort to earn it is irrelevant compared to simply loving the divine. **In simple terms:** Love God, not earn Him love Key Takeaway Unconditional divine love Themes faith spirituality humility self-acceptance Mood reverent hopeful Type aphorism spiritual insight When to use this quote - personal crisis - spiritual awakening - seeking purpose Key Concepts unconditional love inner peace Practical Applications - meditation practice - pastoral counseling Questions to Reflect On - How does this perspective change your view of spiritual practice? - What does 'being home free' mean in a non-religious context? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [What mattered to her was that she loved God, whether or not He granted her the consolation and joy of His felt presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kolodiejchuk/what-mattered-to-her-was-that-she-loved-god-whether-or-not-he-granted/) [Brian Kolodiejchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kolodiejchuk/) > [“He put his hand in his pocket and found the porte-bonheur, still warm. He looked back at the pier. The one-eyed cat waited. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathi-appelt/he-put-his-hand-in-his-pocket-and-found-the-porte-bonheur-still-warm/) [Kathi Appelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathi-appelt/) > [At that moment he knew one thing. The only thing that mattered. He loved her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/at-that-moment-he-knew-one-thing-the-only-thing-that-mattered-he/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [The desire to love and be loved is the most basic human need. You realize how deeply God loves you? You are a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-bangira/the-desire-to-love-and-be-loved-is-the-most-basic-human-need-you/) Wesley Bangira > [“. . . buzzed up by the knowledge that none of my family knew where I was, who I was with nor when I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-baume/buzzed-up-by-the-knowledge-that-none-of-my-family-knew-where-i-was/) [Sara Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-baume/) > [My mom was very strict. And we were very religious. So I knew that I was not allowed to do the wrong thing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/my-mom-was-very-strict-and-we-were-very-religious-so-i-knew-that-i/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [The Manchester move was OK. I was still in England and I knew I could go back home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadon-sancho/the-manchester-move-was-ok-i-was-still-in-england-and-i-knew-i-could/) [Jadon Sancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadon-sancho/) > [On even the worst days, when nothing was working at the lab, I knew that at home I would find warmth, peace, companionship, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cronin/on-even-the-worst-days-when-nothing-was-working-at-the-lab-i-knew/) [James Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cronin/) > [It would be creepy if you knew my home address.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-eastwood/it-would-be-creepy-if-you-knew-my-home-address/) [Scott Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-eastwood/) > [“Then they took the last step together, and when she kissed her, her mouth as warm as summer, the taste of her sweet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/then-they-took-the-last-step-together-and-when-she-kissed-her-her/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [When I finally decided that my only hope was to go to college, I took an acting class, and once I walked onstage, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/when-i-finally-decided-that-my-only-hope-was-to-go-to-college-i-took/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [“I'm not here only just for a visit; but I'm here cuz' i knew I'm HOME.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-ian-n-cny/i-m-not-here-only-just-for-a-visit-but-i-m-here-cuz-i-knew-i-m-home/) [kent Ian N. Cny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-ian-n-cny/) > [Well, here he was. They could save each other, the way the poets promised lovers should. He was mystery, he was darkness, he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/well-here-he-was-they-could-save-each-other-the-way-the-poets/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“It’s the beating of my heart. The way I lie awake, playing with shadows slowly climbing up my wall. The gentle moonlight slipping through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/it-s-the-beating-of-my-heart-the-way-i-lie-awake-playing-with-shadows/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [“Because at that moment, with the press of Rahim's lips to hers, with the touch of his tongue sending wildfire through her veins, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/because-at-that-moment-with-the-press-of-rahim-s-lips-to-hers-with/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) ## More by Thomas Mallon > [Cell phones, alas, have pretty much ruined train travel, which I used to love. I could read or even sketch notes for what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/cell-phones-alas-have-pretty-much-ruined-train-travel-which-i-used-to/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [My prescription for writer's block is to face the fact that there is no such thing… Writing well is difficult, but one can always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/my-prescription-for-writer-s-block-is-to-face-the-fact-that-there-is/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [My house in Connecticut is very quiet, and when I'm trying to concentrate, I don't even allow the cat inside my second-floor study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/my-house-in-connecticut-is-very-quiet-and-when-i-m-trying-to/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I actually think that 'Bandbox,' by far the silliest of my books, is the best constructed of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-actually-think-that-bandbox-by-far-the-silliest-of-my-books-is-the/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Bobby Kennedy's conduct toward Lyndon Johnson was childish and despicable. 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If you think that nobody comes to Washington to do any good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-think-that-the-worst-form-of-naivete-can-be-extreme-cynicism-if-you/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [I remember from my academic days, there were people who could never begin writing because they hadn't read every single thing on their subject,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-remember-from-my-academic-days-there-were-people-who-could-never/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [ “\[Voltaire\] was generally unbedeviled by any foolish consistency.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/voltaire-was-generally-unbedeviled-by-any-foolish-consistency/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [“Daisy loved all parades, especially this one, whose crush of observers, prone to impulsive kisses, made it one more piece of the mistletoe under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/daisy-loved-all-parades-especially-this-one-whose-crush-of-observers/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Ive always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/ive-always-got-a-novel-under-way-but-if-i-try-to-work-on-it-every-day/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [John Quincy Adams ranks with Jimmy Carter on the roster of ex-presidential redemption. Instead of completing a biography of his father, he let himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/john-quincy-adams-ranks-with-jimmy-carter-on-the-roster-of-ex/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) [Explore all 36 Thomas Mallon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) ## More God love quotes > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't rush it. When the timing is right, God will make it happen!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-dolmo/don-t-rush-it-when-the-timing-is-right-god-will-make-it-happen/) [Alexa Dolmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-dolmo/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. We should never presume to receive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-loves-to-glorify-himself-by-suspending-his-gifts-and-blessings-on/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [If you ponder the scriptures and begin to do what you covenanted with God to do, I can promise you that you will feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/if-you-ponder-the-scriptures-and-begin-to-do-what-you-covenanted-with/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Imagine the world without God !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chizim/imagine-the-world-without-god/) [Chizim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chizim/) > [I know that God loves us. He allows us to exercise our moral agency even when we misuse it. He permits us to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/i-know-that-god-loves-us-he-allows-us-to-exercise-our-moral-agency/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [People don't do right because of the fear of God or love of him. You do right because the world doesn't make sense if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/people-don-t-do-right-because-of-the-fear-of-god-or-love-of-him-you/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [My father was a minister for 50 years with Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. We prayed about everything, every day, then he always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/my-father-was-a-minister-for-50-years-with-pentecostal-church-of-god/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [The world takes us to a silver screen on which flickering images of passion and romance play, and as we watch, the world says,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/the-world-takes-us-to-a-silver-screen-on-which-flickering-images-of/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [To love is to be vulnerable: if God loves, then God is mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cupitt/to-love-is-to-be-vulnerable-if-god-loves-then-god-is-mortal/) [Don Cupitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cupitt/) Browse all 3,478 God love quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“he’d spent his whole life trying to make God love him—and that this didn’t matter in the slightest. 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