--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we wished to gain contentment, we…" description: "\"“If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules as these: 1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather. 2. Never picture..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/edward-bouverie-pusey-44891_contentment_if-we-wished-to-gain-contentment-we-migh_539286.jpg" --- # If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules… ![“If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules as these: 1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather. 2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not. 3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another. 4. Never allow thyself to…” quote by Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/edward-bouverie-pusey-44891_contentment_if-we-wished-to-gain-contentment-we-migh_539286.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/edward-bouverie-pusey-44891_contentment_if-we-wished-to-gain-contentment-we-migh_539286.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/edward-bouverie-pusey-44891_contentment_if-we-wished-to-gain-contentment-we-migh_539286.jpg) > ““If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules as these: 1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather. 2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not. 3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another. 4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou dost thyself. 5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's, not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. "The Lord will provide.”” [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contentment comes from accepting reality, avoiding complaints, comparison, and future anxieties, trusting divine wisdom and provision. **In simple terms:** Accept life as it is, trust God, avoid comparison and worry. Key Takeaway Embrace present, trust divine care. Themes contentment acceptance faith trust Mood calm reflective Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - personal grief - daily stress - financial worries - health concerns Key Concepts Stoicism Christian theology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice acceptance without ignoring needed change? - What does trusting a higher power mean in practical terms? A Different Perspective May overlook legitimate concerns or lead to passive acceptance of injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [God almighty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-almighty/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [“If we wish to gain contentment we might try these rules”: • Allow ourselves to complain of nothing, not even the weather. • Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-wilson/if-we-wish-to-gain-contentment-we-might-try-these-rules-allow/) [Marilyn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-wilson/) > [Mere opinions, in fact, were as likely to govern people's actions as hard evidence, and were subject to sudden reversals as hard evidence could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/mere-opinions-in-fact-were-as-likely-to-govern-people-s-actions-as/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [When it is a question of God's almighty Spirit, never say, 'I can't.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-it-is-a-question-of-god-s-almighty-spirit-never-say-i-can-t/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [God Almighty never intended that the devil should triumph over the Church. He never intended that the saloons should walk rough-shod over Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/god-almighty-never-intended-that-the-devil-should-triumph-over-the/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [“Lord God Almighty, I entrust myself and all that I do in Your Holy Name. Having wakened to a brand new day, please guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-h-louis/lord-god-almighty-i-entrust-myself-and-all-that-i-do-in-your-holy/) Simon H. Louis > [God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners (morality).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/god-almighty-has-set-before-me-two-great-objects-the-suppression-of/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reginald-heber/holy-holy-holy-lord-god-almighty-early-in-the-morning-our-song-shall/) [Reginald Heber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reginald-heber/) > [“God Almighty has set before me two Great Objects: the supression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/god-almighty-has-set-before-me-two-great-objects-the-supression-of/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [They think they have God Almighty by the toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/they-think-they-have-god-almighty-by-the-toe/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [God Almighty first planted a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/god-almighty-first-planted-a-garden/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [That's a real void in my life. I see a lot of people who struggled and went to jail and the dogs were after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/that-s-a-real-void-in-my-life-i-see-a-lot-of-people-who-struggled-and/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/men-hang-out-their-signs-indicative-of-their-respective-trades-shoe/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/we-hold-upon-this-earth-the-place-of-god-almighty/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [I'm not denyin' the women are foolish. God Almighty made 'em to match the men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-m-not-denyin-the-women-are-foolish-god-almighty-made-em-to-match/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More by Edward Bouverie Pusey > [Learn to commend thy daily acts to God, so shall the dry every-day duties of common life be steps to heaven, and lift they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/learn-to-commend-thy-daily-acts-to-god-so-shall-the-dry-every-day/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [Never dwell on the tomorrow; remember, that it's God's and not ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/never-dwell-on-the-tomorrow-remember-that-it-s-god-s-and-not-ours/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [Whoso neglects a thing which he suspects he ought to do, because it seems to him too small a thing, is deceiving himself; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/whoso-neglects-a-thing-which-he-suspects-he-ought-to-do-because-it/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [Practice in life whatever you pray for and God will give it to you more abundantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/practice-in-life-whatever-you-pray-for-and-god-will-give-it-to-you/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [In all adversity, what God takes away He may give us back with increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/in-all-adversity-what-god-takes-away-he-may-give-us-back-with-increase/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [Take steadily some one sin, which seems to stand out before thee, to root it out, by God's grace, and every fibre of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/take-steadily-some-one-sin-which-seems-to-stand-out-before-thee-to/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [God's chief gift to those who seek him is Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/god-s-chief-gift-to-those-who-seek-him-is-himself/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [“God does not take away trials or carry us over them, but strengthens us through them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/god-does-not-take-away-trials-or-carry-us-over-them-but-strengthens/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) [Explore all 9 Edward Bouverie Pusey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) ## More Contentment quotes > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I may not have everything I want in life but I have all I will ever need to make my life complete, my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-not-have-everything-i-want-in-life-but-i-have-all-i-will-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can find as much happiness at the bottom of the ladder of success as you can at the top, then you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/if-you-can-find-as-much-happiness-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-of/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [“When we perform at our highest level of potential, we are content. Because we have given I best in what we enjoy doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/when-we-perform-at-our-highest-level-of-potential-we-are-content/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/money-is-made-at-christmas-out-of-holly-and-mistletoe-but-who-save/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Most of us are not content with our lot because we want a lot more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/most-of-us-are-not-content-with-our-lot-because-we-want-a-lot-more/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [Pleasure simply brings more craving, but the problem is that we try to get contentment through pleasure. True contentment can only come through service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/pleasure-simply-brings-more-craving-but-the-problem-is-that-we-try-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Every human always wants more. We're never satisfied. True happiness doesn't come until we're fully satisfied with what we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-human-always-wants-more-we-re-never-satisfied-true-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was so nearly happy. There remained only a tiny something, something unexplained and inexplicable that buzzed in my ear when the lights were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-rooney/i-was-so-nearly-happy-there-remained-only-a-tiny-something-something/) Jennie Rooney > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Stop complaining and start accepting, everything happens for a reason, you may not notice the importance of the things that you have now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/stop-complaining-and-start-accepting-everything-happens-for-a-reason/) Hemantsmarty > [True intimacy is the experience of real acceptance and authentic vulnerability without feeling the need to apologize or fear rejection. The freedom to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/true-intimacy-is-the-experience-of-real-acceptance-and-authentic/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) [Browse all 1,355 Contentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules as these: 1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather. 2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not. 3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another. 4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou dost thyself. 5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's, not thine. 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