--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The basic purpose of prayer is not to…" description: "\"The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.\" — Timothy Keller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png" --- # The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to… ![“The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png) > “The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer reshapes the believer’s desires to align with divine purpose, not to manipulate divine will. **In simple terms:** Prayer changes us, not God. Key Takeaway Align your will with higher purpose. Themes spiritual growth humility alignment Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - daily devotion - ethical decisions - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts theology personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - How does prayer influence your choices? - When do you feel your will is aligned? A Different Perspective It may be challenging to discern divine will in complex situations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God 's will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-will/) [Molding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/molding/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [The purpose of prayer is emphatically not to bend God's will to ours, but rather to align our will to his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-purpose-of-prayer-is-emphatically-not-to-bend-god-s-will-to-ours/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The purpose of all prayer is to find God's will and to make that our prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/the-purpose-of-all-prayer-is-to-find-god-s-will-and-to-make-that-our/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Prayer is not an agency by which my will is to be accomplished upon the earth. The purpose of prayer is to get God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-smith/prayer-is-not-an-agency-by-which-my-will-is-to-be-accomplished-upon/) [Chuck Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-smith/) > [Our prayers must not be efforts to bend God to our will but to yield ourselves to His.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/our-prayers-must-not-be-efforts-to-bend-god-to-our-will-but-to-yield/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Prayer doesn't bend God's arm but it's guaranteed to bend our hearts toward His will. Worry less. Pray more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/prayer-doesn-t-bend-god-s-arm-but-it-s-guaranteed-to-bend-our-hearts/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [The quest for a war-free world has a basic purpose: survival. But if in the process we learn how to achieve it by love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/the-quest-for-a-war-free-world-has-a-basic-purpose-survival-but-if-in/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [The basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his or her potential to the fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-m-white/the-basic-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-education-is-to-liberate-the/) Barbara M. White > [The cocktail party has a simple function in modern society. Its basic purpose is to pay off social debts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-boyle/the-cocktail-party-has-a-simple-function-in-modern-society-its-basic/) [Hal Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-boyle/) > [The basic purpose of life insurance is to create cash…nothing more or nothing less. Everything else confuses and complicates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-feldman/the-basic-purpose-of-life-insurance-is-to-create-cash-nothing-more-or/) [Ben Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-feldman/) > [The primary purpose of prayer is not to make requests. The primary purpose is to praise, to sing, to chant. Because the essence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-primary-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-make-requests-the-primary/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“The purpose of prayer is purification.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-purpose-of-prayer-is-purification/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The great purpose of prayer is not getting things from God but getting God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mathis/the-great-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-getting-things-from-god-but/) [David Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mathis/) > [“The purpose of prayer is transformation; we go from a creature that relies on the world to one who depends on G-d.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weiss/the-purpose-of-prayer-is-transformation-we-go-from-a-creature-that/) [Edward Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weiss/) > [The primary purpose of prayer is not to get something, but to know Someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/the-primary-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-get-something-but-to-know/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [The purpose of prayer is the alignment of the mind with the thoughts and the will of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-purpose-of-prayer-is-the-alignment-of-the-mind-with-the-thoughts/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More God 's will quotes > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Have the moral courage to stand firm in obeying God’s will, even if you have to stand alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulisses-soares/have-the-moral-courage-to-stand-firm-in-obeying-god-s-will-even-if/) [Ulisses Soares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulisses-soares/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [They either attach themselves to God's will, which results in their continuous progress, improvement and advancement, or they oppose God's will, are justly subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/they-either-attach-themselves-to-god-s-will-which-results-in-their/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [Yet only the atrocities of the conquered are referred to as criminal acts; those of the conqueror are justified as necessary, heroic, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fergus/yet-only-the-atrocities-of-the-conquered-are-referred-to-as-criminal/) [Jim Fergus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fergus/) > [“The call to “take the land” ...is not a call to a new political, cultural or geographical dominance. It is Kingdom of God territory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-baker/the-call-to-take-the-land-is-not-a-call-to-a-new-political-cultural/) Ken Baker > [“Sometimes all of a sudden all the obstacles on your way disappear. You may call this situation as ‘an action of God’ or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/sometimes-all-of-a-sudden-all-the-obstacles-on-your-way-disappear-you/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I believe that this was God's Will - to send a boy into the Reich, to let him become its Leader, in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-believe-that-this-was-god-s-will-to-send-a-boy-into-the-reich-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [We are not accustomed to thinking that God's will for us and our own inner dreams can coincide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/we-are-not-accustomed-to-thinking-that-god-s-will-for-us-and-our-own/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“God's forgot that ever I lived... He's forgot...and He never cared, nohow…" He smoothed her brown, rough-palmed hand; he held her hands to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-miller/god-s-forgot-that-ever-i-lived-he-s-forgot-and-he-never-cared-nohow/) Caroline Miller > [If there really is a perfect will of God we are meant to discover, in which we will find tremendous freedom and fulfillment, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/if-there-really-is-a-perfect-will-of-god-we-are-meant-to-discover-in/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [They's a heap more to God's will than death, disapoint-ment, and like thet. Hit's God's will for us to be good and do good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-ann-burns/they-s-a-heap-more-to-god-s-will-than-death-disapoint-ment-and-like/) [Olive Ann Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-ann-burns/) > [His Majesty knows best what is suitable for us. There's no need for us to be advising Him about what He should give us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/his-majesty-knows-best-what-is-suitable-for-us-there-s-no-need-for-us/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we're seeking to align our wills with God's will, our dreams with God's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/that-in-itself-is-an-act-of-peacemaking-because-we-re-seeking-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [I just take one day at a time, pray, and know that whatever happens is God's will, so there's nothing I can do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javon-ringer/i-just-take-one-day-at-a-time-pray-and-know-that-whatever-happens-is/) [Javon Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javon-ringer/) [Browse all 443 God 's will quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-will/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-bend-god-s-will-to-mine-but-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God 's will" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-bend-god-s-will-to-mine-but-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/timothy-keller-240_god-s-will_the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-be_614324.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” — Timothy Keller", "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": "Timothy Keller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The basic purpose of prayer is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-bend-god-s-will-to-mine-but-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-basic-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-bend-god-s-will-to-mine-but-to/#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 } } ] } ```