Favorite Quotes about Life, Hope, and Relying on God

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C. S. Lewis went from atheist to faith-filled writer inspiring readers to commit each day to life, hope, and relying on God. Read some of his best here...

C. S. Lewis published his first work in 1919 and went on to author more than 70 books the most famous being The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity. Countless Christians have been inspired by his life and writing.

His quotes inspire me. Lewis knew life’s difficulties. His childhood faith rejected in college, describing himself as “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.” Christian friend, J. R. R. Tolkien, and others faithfully walked beside him answering doubt-filled questions and sharing the hope they held until 1929 he “gave in and admitted God is God,” and in 1931 became a follower of Jesus.

Clive Staples Lewis

Born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast Ireland, C.S. Lewis was a British novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian, broadcaster, lecturer, and Christian apologist.

His writing continues to faithfully point readers to truths of God and the hope of Jesus.

Favorite Quotes about Life, Hope, and Relying on God

“God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there.”

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Psalm 8:3–4

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

C. S. Lewis went from atheist to faith-filled writer inspiring readers to commit each day to life, hope, and relying on God. Read some of his best here.

“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.”

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1

Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth. Psalm 108:5

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.”

“Affliction is often that thing which prepares an ordinary person for some sort of an extraordinary destiny.”

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are[e] being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  2 Corinthians 4:16–17

C. S. Lewis went from atheist to faith-filled writer inspiring readers to commit each day to life, hope, and relying on God. Read some of his best here..

“I have found a desire within myself that no experience in this world can satisfy; the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Colossians 3:1–2

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

“You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.” ~George MacDonald (often attributed to Lewis as he spoke on the idea so often.) 

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. 2 Peter 2:25

“Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our natural lives.”

“I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?”

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:24–25

“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.”

Life. Hope. And Relying on God. 

Encouragement from someone who knew heartache and hardship.

Painter of word pictures that continue to transform lives and glorify God. 

What C. S. Lewis quote is your favorite?

Photo Credit – BossFight

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19 Comments

  1. Debbie Prater says:

    I love the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe books. I have all of them. One of my favorite moments is when Lucy sees Aslon, but the others don’t. She’s the only one who does because of her tender heart. I never have forgotten that.

    1. I love his writing Debbie. It’s amazing how many lived he has touched with the truth of God’s love.

  2. I love the one about writing darkness on the cell wall. Speaks volumes to those who want to deny or diminish God’s glory by words or actions.

    1. His glory is written across the sky and throughout creation. Praying to always pay attention!

  3. Hi friend! We are neighbors somewhere today but I forgot where. I linked up and opened the post I wanted to read and then got called away. Finally made it back to discover … It’s You!

    Just wanted you to know your title drew me in. I guess I’m looking for a little balm for some itchy spots this morning. Love that they are served up via CS Lewis’ commentary on the Truth of God’s Word.

    Not surprised to find that your kindred spirit is a fan of his words as well.

    Thanks for pulling them all together in one place with the Word they are built on for me to lap in this morning!

    1. You’re very welcome Christi! Thank you for your encouragement. I tend to write what I need. I must have needed balm on my “itchy spots” too! 🙂

  4. Deb,
    I love C. S. Lewis. Thank you for capturing so many of my favorite quotes. I don’t remember this one. “Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our natural lives.” I like how you echoed it with Scriptures.

  5. Favorite quote? Where do I begin? I LOVE C.S. Lewis, but didn’t know some of the snippets of history you included for us about his early beginnings, Deb. He truly was an intriguing and profoundly wise man. I think one of my favorite quotes is short and simple, “To love at all is to be vulnerable.” That’s what’s at the heartbeat of Messy Marriage–especially as I encourage my readers toward a confessional culture in their marriages. The “Plank Hunt” is just one way to get there! Thanks for your encouraging post here and your encouraging words to me at my place as well! We really do need to see when we can meet face-to-face. I’ll be in touch soon! 🙂

    1. It’s not easy to stay vulnerable, especially after we’ve been hurt. But love is vulnerable and we are called to love. Not only that, but we miss out on so much when we lose our vulnerability. Blessings!!

  6. Dawn Paoletta ( says:

    He is one of my biggest inspirations…if not the biggest one, along with Oswald Chambers. Thank you for writing about him…My pen name or writing for fun made up name is – is ParkaMarie Lewis. Which I came up with based on his influence and impact on my writing life.

    1. I love it! ParkaMarie Lewis! Thanks for giving me a good grin today! 🙂

  7. I love seeing many of his quotes. Though I have read the Chronicles of Narnia, I haven’t read anything else. Going to have to change that after reading this post. Thanks for the inspiration, my friend. Linking with you at Three Word Wed.

  8. I love this post:) C.S. Lewis is one of my favorites.

    “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done” is one of my very favorite quotes and one I’ve loved for a long time. I guess I find comfort in knowing i’m not the only one who has a daily struggle with relying on God. It’s something we have to fight for everyday, and something that is so worth the fight.

  9. Hey Deb,

    I always love it when I just “happen” on one of your posts!! Today, on Grace and Truth I did that.

    What a great post about CS Lewis. Love his quotes, writings, and testimony for the Lord.

    This quote really encouraged me today, “Affliction is often that thing which prepares an ordinary person for some sort of an extraordinary destiny.”

    I pinned and tweeted a few of these. Thank you for such a powerful encourager! I really appreciate you and your ministry~

    Hope you have a blessed weekend~
    Melanie

  10. Love C.S.Lewis! Hadn’t seen this one though “Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. ” So good! Thank you for sharing, I was your neighbor today at Grace

  11. Love these! Thanks for linking at Women With Intention Wednesdays 🙂

  12. Thank you so much for this compilation – I’m a big C.S. Lewis fan!! I should mention though, if it wasn’t said already, that he never really wrote or said the soul/body one. People have been misapplying that to him (where versions of that quote come from is a story in itself). I understand what the person is trying to say, though Lewis was a bit strong on the fact that as humans we are both body and soul – in fact, he has some beautiful things to say on that matter.

    1. Thank you, Rian. Yes, I’ve learned since writing this post that C.S.Lewis didn’t actually say those words. I believe they have since been attributed to George MacDonald. I used the quote not too long ago in another devotion. I need to make that correction here, too. Thank you so much for stopping by and for taking the time to say hello! Blessings to you!