--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have only ever made one prayer to God…" description: "\"I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png" --- # I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one… ![“I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png) > “I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker asks for divine help to diminish the power of enemies, and believes it was granted. **In simple terms:** Ask God to make foes absurd; it worked. Key Takeaway Seek humor over hostility. Themes faith humor conflict Mood wry reflective Type aphilosophical satirical When to use this quote - personal grudges - political rivals - social criticism Key Concepts Divine intervention satire Questions to Reflect On - Do you wish enemies to be ridiculed or reformed? - How does humor affect power dynamics? A Different Perspective May not address root causes of conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it." (…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-never-made-but-one-prayer-to-god-a-very-short-one-oh-lord-make/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-never-made-but-one-prayer-to-god-a-very-short-one-o-lord-make/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [In my life, I have prayed but one prayer: oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-my-life-i-have-prayed-but-one-prayer-oh-lord-make-my-enemies/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous. When you have God, you don’t have to know everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-angelica/unless-you-are-willing-to-do-the-ridiculous-god-will-not-do-the/) [Mother Angelica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-angelica/) > [“The arm of God is never too short to save us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-arm-of-god-is-never-too-short-to-save-us/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I'm a godmother, that's a great thing to be, a godmother. She calls me god for short, that's cute, I taught her that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-m-a-godmother-that-s-a-great-thing-to-be-a-godmother-she-calls-me/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [What if the very reason we have breath is because we have been saved for a global mission? And what if anything less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/what-if-the-very-reason-we-have-breath-is-because-we-have-been-saved/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [“The Democratic Senator’s Serenity Prayer God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Legislate The Courage to Legislate the Things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-democratic-senator-s-serenity-prayer-god-grant-me-the-serenity-to/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“Free a man of the constraints that limit and inhibit his development, and you have a free human being. Freedom is the natural state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-silber/free-a-man-of-the-constraints-that-limit-and-inhibit-his-development/) [Alexandra Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-silber/) > [“I live my life true and free because that is the gift God has granted me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cuoco/i-live-my-life-true-and-free-because-that-is-the-gift-god-has-granted/) [Steven Cuoco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cuoco/) > [“Why does the Bible keep nagging us to give thanks? It’s because we quickly forget all that God has done for us; we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-noland/why-does-the-bible-keep-nagging-us-to-give-thanks-it-s-because-we/) [Rory Noland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-noland/) > [For every thing I do. I always appreciate that God has granted me with another opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/for-every-thing-i-do-i-always-appreciate-that-god-has-granted-me-with/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [“Do not take the grace of God for granted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/do-not-take-the-grace-of-god-for-granted/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [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/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god-a-very-short-one-o-lord-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god-a-very-short-one-o-lord-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/voltaire-173_god_i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god_2013388.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God…” — Voltaire", "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": "Voltaire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have only ever made one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god-a-very-short-one-o-lord-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-only-ever-made-one-prayer-to-god-a-very-short-one-o-lord-make/#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 } } ] } ```