--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason we have such hard thoughts of…" description: "\"“The reason we have such hard thoughts of God’s will is, because we have such high thoughts of ourselves.”\" — William Symington" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/william-symington-21244_thoughts_the-reason-we-have-such-hard-thoughts-of_2362183.png" --- # The reason we have such hard thoughts of God’s will is… ![“The reason we have such hard thoughts of God’s will is, because we have such high thoughts of ourselves.” quote by William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/william-symington-21244_thoughts_the-reason-we-have-such-hard-thoughts-of_2362183.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/william-symington-21244_thoughts_the-reason-we-have-such-hard-thoughts-of_2362183.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/william-symington-21244_thoughts_the-reason-we-have-such-hard-thoughts-of_2362183.png) > ““The reason we have such hard thoughts of God’s will is, because we have such high thoughts of ourselves.”” [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our lofty self‑image makes God's will seem difficult. **In simple terms:** High self‑esteem complicates understanding God. Key Takeaway Humility eases spiritual struggle. Themes faith ego theology Mood contemplative serene Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - prayer - ethical decisions - community life Key Concepts humility spiritual growth Questions to Reflect On - How does ego affect faith? - Can humility coexist with confidence? A Different Perspective Excessive humility may suppress self‑worth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) ## Related quotes > [The laws of nature are... thoughts of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-zschokke/the-laws-of-nature-are-thoughts-of-god/) Heinrich Zschokke > [There is a direct line that runs from our doctrine to our actions, from what is in our minds to what is in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wells/there-is-a-direct-line-that-runs-from-our-doctrine-to-our-actions/) [Tom Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wells/) > [A lot of the time, it's hard to put your thoughts into what you're watching when someone is screaming in your headset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/a-lot-of-the-time-it-s-hard-to-put-your-thoughts-into-what-you-re/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Everyday is hard for me the thoughts the feelings the desire and longing to it the end and when will it end How will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyday-is-hard-for-me-the-thoughts-the-feelings-the-desire-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fluency avoids hard thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/fluency-avoids-hard-thoughts/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“It’s the job, she thought. I work too hard. That’s why my thoughts go round and round at night, like a hamster on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-larsson/it-s-the-job-she-thought-i-work-too-hard-that-s-why-my-thoughts-go/) [Åsa Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-larsson/) > [Born to believe what the world gave to me was everything that I'd ever be... As we're lifted up high. These thoughts have arrived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/born-to-believe-what-the-world-gave-to-me-was-everything-that-i-d/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fill the brain with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/fill-the-brain-with-high-thoughts-highest-ideals-place-them-day-and/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [When I only begin to read, I forget I'm on this world. It lifts me on wings with high thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anzia-yezierska/when-i-only-begin-to-read-i-forget-i-m-on-this-world-it-lifts-me-on/) [Anzia Yezierska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anzia-yezierska/) > [High thoughts must have high language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/high-thoughts-must-have-high-language/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [High thoughts, are happy thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/high-thoughts-are-happy-thoughts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...you mustn’t pun, Brumm, puns are produced only in vacant minds. 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Heaven is not a distant country where there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/heaven-and-god-are-not-high-above-us-far-away-they-are-deep-within-us/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) ## More by William Symington > [“Fire increaseth by laying together many coals on one place; so is devotion inflamed by the union of many hearts, and by a joint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/fire-increaseth-by-laying-together-many-coals-on-one-place-so-is/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“A man must be ignorant of himself before he can be ignorant of the existence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/a-man-must-be-ignorant-of-himself-before-he-can-be-ignorant-of-the/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“To conclude this: As when a man comes into a palace, built according to the exactest rule of art, and with an unexceptionable conveniency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/to-conclude-this-as-when-a-man-comes-into-a-palace-built-according-to/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“All the superstition this day living in the world is built upon this foundation: so natural it is to man to pull God down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/all-the-superstition-this-day-living-in-the-world-is-built-upon-this/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“A man may sooner engrave the chronicle of a whole nation, or all the records of God in the Scripture upon the hardest marble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/a-man-may-sooner-engrave-the-chronicle-of-a-whole-nation-or-all-the/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God:" it is to be acted in everything we do; but in worship our hearts should more solemnly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/thou-shalt-love-the-lord-thy-god-it-is-to-be-acted-in-everything-we/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“The enjoyment of God will be as fresh and glorious after many ages, as it was at first. God is eternal, and eternity knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/the-enjoyment-of-god-will-be-as-fresh-and-glorious-after-many-ages-as/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“Should we not think ourselves worthy of contempt to dote upon a perishing glory, to expect support from an arm of flesh, when there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/should-we-not-think-ourselves-worthy-of-contempt-to-dote-upon-a/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“Love is appetites unionis; the more love, the more delight in the approachings of God to the soul, or the outgoings of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/love-is-appetites-unionis-the-more-love-the-more-delight-in-the/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“If self-denial be the greatest part of godliness, the great letter in the alphabet of religion; self-love is the great letter in the alphabet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/if-self-denial-be-the-greatest-part-of-godliness-the-great-letter-in/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“The pretences of the atheist are so ridiculous, that they are not worth the mentioning. They never saw God, and therefore know not how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/the-pretences-of-the-atheist-are-so-ridiculous-that-they-are-not/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“To make any corporeal representations of God is unworthy of God. It is a disgrace to his nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/to-make-any-corporeal-representations-of-god-is-unworthy-of-god-it-is/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“Men that have strength, often misplace the actings of it, because of their folly; and sometimes employ it to base ends, because of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/men-that-have-strength-often-misplace-the-actings-of-it-because-of/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“If you that are unholy, and have so much corruption in you, to render you cruel, can bestow upon your children the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/if-you-that-are-unholy-and-have-so-much-corruption-in-you-to-render/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) > [“And the finer parts extracted from plants and minerals we call spirits, those volatile parts separated from that gross matter wherein they were immersed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-symington/and-the-finer-parts-extracted-from-plants-and-minerals-we-call/) [William Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) [Explore all 29 William Symington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-symington/) ## More Thoughts quotes > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/i-urge-you-don-t-cut-short-these-thought-trains-of-yours-follow-them/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“He who is mindless is defenceless” RjS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/he-who-is-mindless-is-defenceless-rjs/) [rassool jibraeel snyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I keep my thoughts to myself, and I think that's one of the best ways to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-jackson/i-keep-my-thoughts-to-myself-and-i-think-that-s-one-of-the-best-ways/) [Tito Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-jackson/) > [“Whenever we think, we construct a world that is centred upon the object of our thinking; whenever we act, we reconstruct a world that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/whenever-we-think-we-construct-a-world-that-is-centred-upon-the/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [Fill your minds with thoughts that will make you smile each time you remember them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/fill-your-minds-with-thoughts-that-will-make-you-smile-each-time-you/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [All that we are is the result of what we have thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-we-are-is-the-result-of-what-we-have-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. 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