Christian Disciplines, Simplicity Part II

 


23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24 English Standard Version

            Last week we started looking at the idea of living simply, a challenge in our increasingly convoluted and chaotic world. Despite how we might feel, living simply has challenged men and women ever since we were evicted from the garden long ago. Living simply is more a matter of decluttering our hearts than it is decluttering our closets. This week, we will look at three steps we can take to start the process of living simply. Where do we look for guidance in this matter. Our world, our culture, does not offer much in the way of guidance or encouragement in this endeavor. Our relationship with the Lord and His word are a good place to go for guidance.

            As a first step we much pray. Like the psalmist who willingly submitted his heart to the Lord for careful examination, we must do the same. He asked God to investigate His heart, uncover any problems, and then reveal them to him, and so should we. I hesitate to ask God to do that, which is rather ironic since I believe He already knows the content of my heart. But it is the request for leadership, submission to the Lord which is quite different. It is one thing to admit that God knows. It is a tougher, deeper, step to ask Him to reveal and lead. Sometimes, I’d rather remain ignorant regarding my faults; but, if I want to simplify my life then I need to know what the status of my heart is. A prayer of submission to God’s stringent scrutiny is a difficult and necessary first step. If we take this challenging first step, God will gently and completely answer our prayers. He longs to help us order our lives.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

            The next step would be to take a fearless moral inventory. This is perhaps the hardest step, at least it is for me. None of us like to carefully examine ourselves in the stringent light of scripture.

40 Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! Lamentations 3:40

As difficult as it is, we must take the time to carefully consider our lives. How are we ordering our steps and what do our decisions say about our priorities. Perhaps we often find that we say one thing, but our actions say something different. For example, we say that we love our wives and children, while allocating a minimal amount of time for them. We say that we believe in helping by giving to various ministries yet arrange our finances as to preclude charitable work. How we order our lives reveals our true priorities. Our speech is often incongruent with our actions. A cold hard inventory of our lives reveals these incongruencies. If we wish to live Godly lives, we must take steps to correct this. This leads us to a careful reordering or reorganization.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

 

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called… Ephesians 4:1

            These two scriptures remind me that my walk is different from the world’s. If I take steps to simplify my life it will be different. I will make different decisions. My priorities will not be the same. God may call me to an unusual lifestyle. We must remember that in the Romans passage we are passive, God is the actor in this endeavor. We seek His help, His clarity, His strength. He will transform our lives if we let Him. Keeping our eyes on Him and ordering our steps according to His word enables us to simplify our lives. Leading simpler lives helps us walk in a manner worthy of His name.

            You’ll note that I did not describe a measuring stick or list of does and don’ts. This is not about some sort of legalistic approach to living a simple life. It is about our submitting ourselves to the Lord and walking in the path He illuminates. Your simple life may be radically different than mine. God calls and fits me to a different type of service than you. My circumstances are not yours. That said, God calls us to live a simpler life, one that depends on Him. Leading a simple life requires faith and, as they say, that’s the rub.

The Three Steps:

1.      Seek the Lord in prayer.

2.     Carefully examine your life in the light of God’s word.

3.     Take steps revealed through prayer and study.



Thought Questions:

1.      How complicated is your life and are you truly comfortable with it?

2.     When was the last time you sat down and prayerfully examined your life?

3.     How does your life compare with scripture?

4.     What do you think a simpler life would look like for you?

5.     How would living a simpler life change your family?

 

           

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