Ahhh the sweet soothing sound of one word, simplify. Should we push or should we simplify?
Simplify is my favorite word, but it wasn't always. Instead of bringing peace it brought confusion. One thing I knew was that I wanted to live out God's purpose in my life, but I drove myself crazy trying to figure out what exactly that was and the actions to take. It was the opposite of peace.
As I got to know Jesus' heart more, I recognized the simplicity of His ways. Stop a second and just think about Him, he is the epitome of a breath of fresh air. I think about His traits, peace, calmness, passion, humility, grace, mercy, none of these are complicated, they are pure and simple. Who He'd spend time with, where He went, who He healed, how He made a point through story.
Jesus knew His purpose crystal clear. I think perhaps He has a leg up on us here. All believers want to please Him and find our life purpose to serve.
Something that complicated and stole simplicity for me was defining success how the world does. It could be status, money, celebrity, stuff, outer beauty. At their extreme it's easy to say I don't care about those things, let me challenge you with some questions
If you started a business, are you relentless to serve more and more customers/clients in the name of serving?
Do you define your success by the number of employees you have (I did) or your sales?
Do you feel successful only when you get a promotion and climb the ladder?
How about the number of hours you work, the more you work, does that make you more successful?
Do your looks overly define you?
Are you a slacker if you, gasp, slow down?
Am I a bad Christian if I am not relentlessly pushing?
All of these things can confuse us as we battle to understand what purpose, serving and success mean for us Christians. Simplicity just got chucked out the window and replaced with a whole lot of complicated. Is that what Jesus wanted?
Here's what helped me: I had to let go of the worlds definition of success and redefine my metrics. I didn't have a clue so I turned to the Way Maker as a model. This was HARD. Pruning is HARD. Rewiring your thinking is HARD. In this process it's so easy to look around and feel inferior as you walk this path.
My friends, it is worth it. We all crave a rest by still waters. To be enough. To be loved even when all we are doing is sitting still.
What I can say is your heart will cry mercy to you when it's time for you to pause and simplify. Your reasons will be unique to you, maybe it's your health, relationships, work, finances, something that's gotten out of whack and needs a simplifying cleanse.
This is when it's time to let go and let God. I can't tell you the number of times I felt so small while doing this, like a failure. Slowly as I kept walking the wilderness of this quest to simplify I'd think hey, my chest tightness is gone. Or whoa it's deadline time and we're on top of things, it's calm, stress-free. The checkbook is stronger because I cut the excess costs. I'm doing work I enjoy because I removed the label the letters after my name and years of experience said I should do vs wanted to do. I'm finally working out consistently. I'm smaller but I am better.
As I look back at what's been a year and half on the quest to simplify I can tell you it is worth it. I think Jesus wanted us to live our lives in joy, peace, community and yes serving. He didn't want us to bury ourselves under a pile of rubble.
Keep it simple. What's an area you can make changes in today to lighten the yoke and get to those still waters? Maybe you need an overhaul, that's ok, just pace yourself, Jesus didn't rush, we shouldn't either.
My prayer for you is that you redefine your definition of success, chuck complicated out the window and let simplicity take a seat. This doesn't mean stop growing and serving. With less noise getting in the way your quality to serve and grow will magnify and be so much more meaningful. Craft a life that's full of simple pleasures and give your heart and mind space to be fully present enjoying all of it.
