--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contentment is not by addition but by…" description: "\"Contentment is not by addition but by subtraction: seeking to add a thing will not bring contentment. Instead, subtracting from your desires until you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/jeremiah-burroughs-16546_add_contentment-is-not-by-addition-but-by-su_3038836.jpg" --- # Contentment is not by addition but by subtraction: seeking… ![“Contentment is not by addition but by subtraction: seeking to add a thing will not bring contentment. Instead, subtracting from your desires until you are satisfied only with Christ brings contentment.” quote by Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/jeremiah-burroughs-16546_add_contentment-is-not-by-addition-but-by-su_3038836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/jeremiah-burroughs-16546_add_contentment-is-not-by-addition-but-by-su_3038836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/jeremiah-burroughs-16546_add_contentment-is-not-by-addition-but-by-su_3038836.jpg) > “Contentment is not by addition but by subtraction: seeking to add a thing will not bring contentment. Instead, subtracting from your desires until you are satisfied only with Christ brings contentment.” [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True contentment comes from reducing desires, not adding more, aligning with Christ’s teachings. **In simple terms:** Less desire, more peace. Key Takeaway Simplify to find satisfaction. Themes contentment spirituality minimalism Mood reflective peaceful Type religious philosophical When to use this quote - personal budgeting - spiritual retreats - daily reflection Key Concepts desire reduction theology Questions to Reflect On - What desires can you let go? - How does faith influence your contentment? A Different Perspective May be difficult in consumer culture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Add](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) [Bring Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bring-contentment-1140044/) [Brings Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brings-contentment-4999070/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Contentment Addition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment-addition-4999068/) [Contentment Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment-instead-4999069/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Satisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfied/) [Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Subtraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subtraction/) ## Related quotes > [“Being content to walk with God brings peace in the midst of uncertainty. It brings wisdom in the unknown. It brings contentment in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-schultz/being-content-to-walk-with-god-brings-peace-in-the-midst-of/) [Teresa Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-schultz/) > [“(Mma Ramotswe thinking about what her father taught her…) “Having the right approach to life was a great gift in this life….Do not complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/mma-ramotswe-thinking-about-what-her-father-taught-her-having-the/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Hope combined with action is the only thing that will bring you contentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/hope-combined-with-action-is-the-only-thing-that-will-bring-you/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I had no idea that throwing away worthless things could bring about such contentment and . . . well . . . joy. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kraus/i-had-no-idea-that-throwing-away-worthless-things-could-bring-about/) [Jim Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kraus/) > [“You know that the pursuit of worldly things does not bring contentment. Find satisfaction in becoming a worker among the Lord's workers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binye-vincent/you-know-that-the-pursuit-of-worldly-things-does-not-bring/) [Binye Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binye-vincent/) > [A feeling that greater possessions, no matter of what kind they may be, will of themselves bring contentment or happiness, is a misunderstanding. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-behrend/a-feeling-that-greater-possessions-no-matter-of-what-kind-they-may-be/) [Genevieve Behrend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-behrend/) > [“spirits bring contentment for a time carry us closer to the sacred moving through bitterness our yearning to hold on to moments of ecstasy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/spirits-bring-contentment-for-a-time-carry-us-closer-to-the-sacred/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The life must be a well-balanced life, not lopsided in any manner to bring contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/the-life-must-be-a-well-balanced-life-not-lopsided-in-any-manner-to/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Be content with who you are and where you are, and do whatever you can do to bring to others such contentment, and joy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/be-content-with-who-you-are-and-where-you-are-and-do-whatever-you-can/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Instead of living our lives fighting discontentment, striving to gain contentment from things that were never meant to bring contentment… What if we gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kiesler/instead-of-living-our-lives-fighting-discontentment-striving-to-gain/) [Katie Kiesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kiesler/) > [“Meditation, creative movement, moments of self-nurturance that bring contentment—all can become positive habits of well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/meditation-creative-movement-moments-of-self-nurturance-that-bring/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [ When \[the saints\] perform actions to God, then the soul says: 'Oh! that I could do what pleases God!' When they come to suffer… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/when-the-saints-perform-actions-to-god-then-the-soul-says-oh-that-i/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [Now this is a mystery to a carnal heart. They can see no such thing; perhaps they think God loves them when he prospers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/now-this-is-a-mystery-to-a-carnal-heart-they-can-see-no-such-thing/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [No more Lastrygonians.” Ella fluttered down and landed next to them. “Six minus six is zero. Spears are good for subtraction, yep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/no-more-lastrygonians-ella-fluttered-down-and-landed-next-to-them-six/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Had my life increased, or merely added to itself? There had been addition and subtraction in my life, but how much multiplication?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/had-my-life-increased-or-merely-added-to-itself-there-had-been/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## More by Jeremiah Burroughs > [I am discontented because I have not these things which God never yet promised me, and therefore I sin much against the Gospel, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/i-am-discontented-because-i-have-not-these-things-which-god-never-yet/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [We should study Christ, and praise and bless God, and have our hearts enlarged for Jesus Christ. This is the duty of believers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/we-should-study-christ-and-praise-and-bless-god-and-have-our-hearts/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [Temptations will no more prevail over a contented man, than a dart that is thrown against a brazen wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/temptations-will-no-more-prevail-over-a-contented-man-than-a-dart/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [the Lord does not so much look at the work that is done, as at the faithfulness of our hearts in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/the-lord-does-not-so-much-look-at-the-work-that-is-done-as-at-the/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [I beseech you to consider that God does not deal by you as you deal with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/i-beseech-you-to-consider-that-god-does-not-deal-by-you-as-you-deal/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [Thus, a godly man wonders at his cross that it is not more, a wicked man wonders his cross is so much:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/thus-a-godly-man-wonders-at-his-cross-that-it-is-not-more-a-wicked/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [Now this is a mystery to a carnal heart. They can see no such thing; perhaps they think God loves them when he prospers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/now-this-is-a-mystery-to-a-carnal-heart-they-can-see-no-such-thing/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [You will not find one Godly man who came out of an affliction worse than when he went into it. Though for a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/you-will-not-find-one-godly-man-who-came-out-of-an-affliction-worse/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [A noble heart is a thankful heart that loves to acknowledge whenever it has received any mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/a-noble-heart-is-a-thankful-heart-that-loves-to-acknowledge-whenever/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [ When \[the saints\] perform actions to God, then the soul says: 'Oh! that I could do what pleases God!' When they come to suffer… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/when-the-saints-perform-actions-to-god-then-the-soul-says-oh-that-i/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [“Psalm 106:24, 25: 'Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word; but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/psalm-106-24-25-yea-they-despised-the-pleasant-land-they-believed-not/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [Your mercies are more than your afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/your-mercies-are-more-than-your-afflictions/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [“Without me you can do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/without-me-you-can-do-nothing/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [It is a woman's reason to say I will do such a thing because I will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/it-is-a-woman-s-reason-to-say-i-will-do-such-a-thing-because-i-will/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) > [It is a special part of the divine worship that we owe to God, to be content in a Christian way, as has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-burroughs/it-is-a-special-part-of-the-divine-worship-that-we-owe-to-god-to-be/) [Jeremiah Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) [Explore all 39 Jeremiah Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-burroughs/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. 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