--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah, well … at last I realized that God…" description: "\"“Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically impossible; that the love which He asked was in m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg" --- # Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of… ![“Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically impossible; that the love which He asked was in my will and not meant to be felt as emotion. No. Not at all. He was asking that I act with love; that I do unto others; and that I should do it unto…” quote by William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg) > ““Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically impossible; that the love which He asked was in my will and not meant to be felt as emotion. No. Not at all. He was asking that I act with love; that I do unto others; and that I should do it unto those who repelled me, I believe, was a greater act of love than any other.”” [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects a spiritual insight that divine love is expressed through actions toward others, especially adversaries, rather than through unattainable emotional feelings. **In simple terms:** Love as action, not feeling Key Takeaway Act with love toward all, even enemies Themes spirituality ethics self‑discipline forgiveness human nature Mood reflective determined hopeful Type philosophical spiritual ethical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal crisis - interpersonal forgiveness - moral decision‑making Key Concepts love as will psychological limits moral duty transformative compassion Practical Applications - ethical leadership - counseling for resentment Questions to Reflect On - How does acting lovingly change your perception of an enemy? - What limits do we place on love when we view it as feeling? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-meant-1008637/) [Impossible love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-asked/) [Psychologically Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologically-impossible-1008636/) [Realized God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-god-254888/) ## Related quotes > [“When my mum died I realized that it's possible to live without someone you love." When I asked him what he meant, he wrapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/when-my-mum-died-i-realized-that-it-s-possible-to-live-without/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [“It's psychologically impossible to hate someone with whom you've laughed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-helitzer/it-s-psychologically-impossible-to-hate-someone-with-whom-you-ve/) [Mel Helitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-helitzer/) > [When asked what he meant by a miracle: Oh, anything with a probability of less than 20%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-fermi/when-asked-what-he-meant-by-a-miracle-oh-anything-with-a-probability/) [Enrico Fermi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-fermi/) > [“And when I asked you how you’d been, I meant I missed you more than I’ve ever missed anything before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-thomas/and-when-i-asked-you-how-you-d-been-i-meant-i-missed-you-more-than-i/) [Iain Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-thomas/) > [“Once again, she asked me what I meant. And again, my heart was in my words, but the explanation made no sense. Typical me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/once-again-she-asked-me-what-i-meant-and-again-my-heart-was-in-my/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“THE TRANSLATION SERVICE And when I asked you how you’d been I meant I missed you more than I’ve ever missed anything before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pleasefindthis/the-translation-service-and-when-i-asked-you-how-you-d-been-i-meant-i/) [pleasefindthis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pleasefindthis/) > [“Known for leaving, she asked me who I would consider sticking around for. I said, "The one who asked me to and meant it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/known-for-leaving-she-asked-me-who-i-would-consider-sticking-around/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [“That guys. Sideburns. You like him?" My back squirms. "You've asked me that before." "What I meant was," he says, flustered. "Your feelings haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/that-guys-sideburns-you-like-him-my-back-squirms-you-ve-asked-me-that/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“The moment I realized that God existed, I knew that I could not do otherwise than to live for him alone . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-foucauld/the-moment-i-realized-that-god-existed-i-knew-that-i-could-not-do/) [Charles de Foucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-foucauld/) > [That's something that I've just matured in and realized - that God is everything and He's worthy of praise. You have to put Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-hurts/that-s-something-that-i-ve-just-matured-in-and-realized-that-god-is/) [Jalen Hurts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-hurts/) > [“I walked into the café, bypassing the waiting people as I scanned for the hulking figure of my partner. It’s official , I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-rowland/i-walked-into-the-caf-bypassing-the-waiting-people-as-i-scanned-for/) [Diana Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-rowland/) > [“Firsyt of all, it must be realized that only God truly knows about Himself ( ya- rif aqq ma- rifatih) and fully comprehends the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ghazali/firsyt-of-all-it-must-be-realized-that-only-god-truly-knows-about/) [al-Ghazâlî](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ghazali/) > [“I WAS AN ATHEIST UNTIL I REALIZED I WAS GOD. —BUMPER STICKER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/i-was-an-atheist-until-i-realized-i-was-god-bumper-sticker/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [The moment I realized God existed, I knew that I could not do othewise than to live for Him Alone...Faith strips the mask from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-foucauld/the-moment-i-realized-god-existed-i-knew-that-i-could-not-do-othewise/) [Charles de Foucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-foucauld/) > [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More by William Peter Blatty > [“Henri Bergson thought the principal function of the brain was to filter out most of reality so that we could focus on the tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/henri-bergson-thought-the-principal-function-of-the-brain-was-to/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“We have familiar experience of the order, the constancy, the perpetual renovation of the material world which surrounds us. Frail and transitory as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/we-have-familiar-experience-of-the-order-the-constancy-the-perpetual/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“More rooted in logic was the silence of God. In the world there was evil and much of it resulted from doubt, from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/more-rooted-in-logic-was-the-silence-of-god-in-the-world-there-was/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [As far as God goes, I \_am\_ a nonbeliever. Still am. But when it comes to a devil---well, that's something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/as-far-as-god-goes-i-am-a-nonbeliever-still-am-but-when-it-comes-to-a/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [Well, the research into it affected me. And the novel, it very much strengthened my faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/well-the-research-into-it-affected-me-and-the-novel-it-very-much/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [The demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us; but he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/the-demon-is-a-liar-he-will-lie-to-confuse-us-but-he-will-also-mix/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“Abruptly sagging, Chris stared at the floor. “Go ahead,” she said softly. “Do whatever you have to. Just make her well.” “May”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/abruptly-sagging-chris-stared-at-the-floor-go-ahead-she-said-softly/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I didn't read The Haunting of Hill House until sometime early in the 1990's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/i-didn-t-read-the-haunting-of-hill-house-until-sometime-early-in-the/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“Well, what’s wrong?” “I don’t know, Doc, I just can’t describe it! Please come over right away! Come now!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/well-what-s-wrong-i-don-t-know-doc-i-just-can-t-describe-it-please/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“They Said, "what sign can you give us to see, so that we may believe you?" - John 6: 30 - 31 You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/they-said-what-sign-can-you-give-us-to-see-so-that-we-may-believe-you/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I lived in Georgetown in the late 70s about four houses down from the steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/i-lived-in-georgetown-in-the-late-70s-about-four-houses-down-from-the/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“He thought of death in its infinite groanings, of Aztecs ripping out living hearts and of cancer and three-year-olds buried alive and he wondered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/he-thought-of-death-in-its-infinite-groanings-of-aztecs-ripping-out/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [“We mourn the blossoms of May because they are to wither; but we know that May is one day to have its revenge upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/we-mourn-the-blossoms-of-may-because-they-are-to-wither-but-we-know/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I have never read horror, nor do I consider The Exorcist to be such, but rather as a suspenseful supernatural detective story, or paranormal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/i-have-never-read-horror-nor-do-i-consider-the-exorcist-to-be-such/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) [Explore all 92 William Peter Blatty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) ## More Impossible love quotes > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-possible-to-give-without-loving-but-it-is-impossible-to-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't pick who you fall in love with. There are so few people to love. It's hard for one adult to even like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/you-don-t-pick-who-you-fall-in-love-with-there-are-so-few-people-to/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [For the Warrior of Light there is no such thing as an impossible love. He is not intimidated by silence, indifference or rejection. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/for-the-warrior-of-light-there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-impossible-love/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“In the small central square of Ljubljana, the statue of the poet stares fixedly at something. If you follow his gaze, you will see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/in-the-small-central-square-of-ljubljana-the-statue-of-the-poet/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is impossible to love and be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-impossible-to-love-and-be-wise/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“It's impossible to love something and judge it at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-gary/it-s-impossible-to-love-something-and-judge-it-at-the-same-time/) [Austin Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-gary/) > [Everybody has their demons that they face, and I went through a time when I thought it was impossible to love myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-stirling/everybody-has-their-demons-that-they-face-and-i-went-through-a-time/) [Lindsey Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-stirling/) > [Thou shall love the Lord with thy whole heart, soul, and mind. This is the commandment of the Great God, and he cannot command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/thou-shall-love-the-lord-with-thy-whole-heart-soul-and-mind-this-is/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Its impossible to get water from a person who's cup is empty. It's also impossible to get love from someone who has none to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-impossible-to-get-water-from-a-person-who-s-cup-is-empty-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If there were no internal propensity to unite, even at a prodigiously rudimentary level — indeed in the molecule itself — it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/if-there-were-no-internal-propensity-to-unite-even-at-a-prodigiously/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [End of the day No other way Mr. Sun goes to hide Lady Moon shines with pride After sun burns Moonlight turns Never ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha/end-of-the-day-no-other-way-mr-sun-goes-to-hide-lady-moon-shines-with/) [Aisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha/) > [It seems impossible that you can love one person so much, no matter what happens, no matter what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/it-seems-impossible-that-you-can-love-one-person-so-much-no-matter/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Many waters cannot quench love: the anthem's setting remained in her ears, repeating itself; a tune so powerful that it might gird one against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/many-waters-cannot-quench-love-the-anthem-s-setting-remained-in-her/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He knew his words could not convey the impossible love he felt for her, so he held her stare and hoped (prayed!) she would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/he-knew-his-words-could-not-convey-the-impossible-love-he-felt-for/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) [Browse all 69 Impossible love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically impossible; that the love which He asked was in my will and not meant to be felt as emotion. No. Not at all. He was asking that I act with love; that I do unto others; and that I should do it unto those who repelled me, I believe, was a greater act of love than any other.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Peter Blatty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-would-never-ask-of-me-that-which/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Impossible love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-would-never-ask-of-me-that-which/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/william-peter-blatty-6688_love_ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-woul_78526.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically…” — William Peter Blatty", "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": "William Peter Blatty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Ah, well … at last I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-would-never-ask-of-me-that-which/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-would-never-ask-of-me-that-which/#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 } } ] } ```