In colloquial language there are many expressions that people do not use once, but constantly. The reason is that their meaning turned out to be so successful, accurate and memorable that everyone likes it and approaches many everyday situations. Such expressions become proverbs and sayings, turn into catchphrases. It is not always possible to say exactly where they came from in human speech, they have become so familiar with hearing. Often such phrases are derived from books and films, often are the brainchild of folk wisdom.
Where did the expression “be content with what is”, what does it mean, and what is its philosophy? It is difficult to say this unequivocally, since the phrase survived millennia, used by people under different circumstances, but each time with a special meaning.
About the story
Numerous written sources testify to the ancient origin of the expression “be content with what is”, and the most famous of them is the Bible, a book that has been recognized for a long time and everywhere. This phrase was spoken by the imprisoned apostle Paul, who was arrested for preaching and spreading Christianity. In his letters to his brothers in faith, he wrote: “I am learning to be content with what I am, whatever the situation.”
This wisdom from the "New Testament" testifies that even in extreme need and under the threat of death, the biblical hero did not lose heart, accepting his fate and any outcome, without doubting that for all his suffering he would receive a worthy reward in Heaven.
These events took place in the 1st century AD, that is, since then, almost two millennia have passed. The world has changed, but the phrase spoken by the apostle is still relevant.
In the Christian interpretation
After the death of the Apostle Paul, his epistles were widely disseminated, and passages from them were often quoted in sermons, read out during Christian services, and used in the works of prominent religious philosophers and theologians. Perhaps this was the impetus for the fact that the phrase “be content with what is” became an expression that was often used in everyday life.
What is its meaning, and how do Christians understand it? For the Orthodox, long-suffering and simplicity of lifestyle, the ability to suffer any kind of suffering, lack of material comforts, even hunger and illness, endure steadily, meekly and calmly are important qualities. A believer who does not strive for the wealth, excesses, power and blessings of this world is considered worthy of respect and imitation.
Accept the situation
To be content with the small is important for overcoming many life's hardships. And modern people often find themselves in difficult situations. Here it is necessary to accept what happened, and not to lament for the impossible, because hysteria, aggression towards others and the search for the guilty may be an unnecessary waste of energy, nerves and time. Such behavior takes you out of emotional balance, prevents you from thinking soberly, often forces you to do unreasonable things that only aggravate the situation. In this sense, this phrase means that it is not always possible to choose life circumstances, but a person is able to control his attitude to the situation, reacting to unhappiness and inconvenience steadily and soberly, with dignity.
If you bring this behavior to life principle, not a single misfortune will be able to unsettle. The struggle with difficulties cannot end in one day, it rarely happens in life. Positive changes should be followed step by step and patience should be gained. This is what they often mean when they utter this phrase.
Live the current moment
Often a well-known expression is used when they give advice not to think about the future, not to make plans, not to grieve and lament about past mistakes, sorrows and feelings, to do what you like, and enjoy all the good that is in the surrounding reality. Then they say: "Be content with the present."
This is taught by many philosophical schools, and often the advice of psychologists comes down to the same. In this position, of course, there are advantages. After all, a person often expects misfortunes before they happen, while attracting negativity. Often, on the contrary, he entertains himself with illusions, which then do not come true in practice, creating problems for himself and others. But after all, how beautiful is today's day, you can find out without waiting for tomorrow.
Ancient sources
But not everyone agrees with the point of view that we should concentrate on the current moment. Indeed, if one can forget about the past, then it is impossible not to think about the future at all. It is on this occasion that the great ancient Greek speaker Isocrates spoke out. He, too, at one time uttered the phrase already known to us, but only in a slightly different, augmented version. He said: "Be content with the present, but strive for the best." And this historical statement once again proves the ancient origin of the issue we are considering. After all, Isocrates lived about four centuries before the birth of Christ.
Nowadays, over twenty speeches of this outstanding speaker have been preserved. Later generations are also well aware of many of his striking sayings and aphorisms, which are used to this day.
About important
When they say to someone: settle for less, people usually mean material, but not spiritual life values. After all, whoever is not overwhelmed by wealth, is most open to sincere friendship and love, able to appreciate the warmth of his home and the care of loved ones living with him under one roof. He enjoys the peaceful sky and the beauty of nature. For him, the joys of creativity and the thirst for knowledge of the laws of the Universe are understandable and desirable.
Simple food, a minimum of amenities, a lack of a bank account do not at all indicate spiritual poverty. This is how the above phrase should be understood. After all, it is not the one who has everything who is rich, but the one who is small enough. People who are able to enjoy a little, characterized by the absence of pettiness and envy. They do not make friends for themselves, wanting to get something from them. They do not need to lie to others, and therefore people are drawn to them. Every day they learn something new, live richly, interestingly.
Desire for more
But what about those who are not satisfied with a modest life in material terms, and such an existence is not at all their conscious choice? They say about them: they have to be content with what they have. And it is not necessary to put a negative meaning into it. Often in this expression is conveyed regret, sympathy. When people say this about themselves, this phrase means discontent, conveys their dissatisfaction with their own destiny, the desire to have so far unattainable. A similar point of view can also be understood and accepted.
And how to be content with what you have if development and progress are largely based on the struggle? And it was people who wanted to get more of this life, made important discoveries and inventions, helped to establish and equip life not only for themselves, but also for other people. But the main thing is to be able to intelligently measure your capabilities and desires.
In proverbs
Oral creativity is considered the property of the whole nation, its spiritual treasure. It includes fairy tales, legends and, of course, proverbs. They are the result of a collective mind, but exist longer than their creators, surviving centuries, reflecting not only language, but also culture, worldview, customs of different nations.
One of the Tatar proverbs teaches:
To be content with what you have is already wealth.
As you can see, this phrase also contains the phrase we have mentioned many times already. What does this statement mean, and what is the meaning of it? The Tatars who profess Islam believe that the Almighty created the world amazing, unique and full of wonderful miracles. Not everyone knows how to see it. But whoever is capable of this can already consider himself a rich man.
conclusions
From the above examples, we can conclude that the expression "be content with what is" since ancient times and was often used by representatives of different eras and corners of the planet, was pronounced in many languages in different versions. It is a reflection of the philosophical ideas and religious beliefs of people from ancient times to the present.
By the way and how a person applies this expression, what meaning he puts into it, one can judge about his psychology, character, personal qualities, about whether he takes an active or passive position in life, submits to fate or struggles with circumstances.
The phrase itself contains the wisdom that a person is made happy or unhappy not by rock, not by external obstacles or their absence, but by his perception of reality, thoughts in his head. The ability to control your emotions, the ability to curb your desires makes people stronger. So, it is possible, of one’s own free will, to rejoice at what you have, even if it’s very little. That is how it is necessary to understand the meaning of this bright and capacious in the sense of the saying.