When we hear the word “simple” it’s almost hard to define, and the word alone seems to define itself. Typically it’s associated with simple living and again our minds picture a near Amish lifestyle. That’s not quite what I’m getting at. We make things more complicated than they really are and the enemy definitely plays a big role in that as well. I’m preaching to the choir on this because I am absolutely terrible when it comes to reasoning and constantly trying to figure things out. I’m an INTJ personality type which means we think everything through with strategy. We analyze, find patters and anticipate outcomes to outcomes. Life is like a complex chess game and we try to have a move for every situation known or unknown. Funny how God doesn’t work that way and it’s not how he wants us to live.
I’m taking this from a devotional I read this morning because it hit home: “Simplicity means ‘single, consisting of one thing, unmingled.’ The only way to live is to be about ‘one thing.’ God just wants us to be about Him. He tells us in His Word to come very simply as a little child and say ‘I believe.'” How simple. I think we’re addicted to complication. I am. After graduating college one thing I quickly realized was after living for 22 years having a constant schedule of some sort between school, athletics and social life I essentially dropped 2 of the 3 and the latter greatly decreased due to the natural departure after college as people move. I didn’t know what to do with myself. At first the immense amount of free time was great, but then I realized I had never been that alone with myself. It was strange. I’m an introvert but even we have our limits. I didn’t like it. It was uncomfortable. Even after getting a good job in using my degree it still didn’t feel right. Weekends felt lonely as I no longer had my golf team to travel with or some school event to attend. No more quick messages to meet up and take a walk around campus. The lack of interaction was frightening and it caused me to seek ways of keeping busy enough to the point where I would overcommit simply because the idea of stopping terrified me. Sure I gave God my time, but for so long that was a group activity and now it was a mostly me and Him activity. I didn’t like it because I feared what He would bring up in conversation. You can’t get deep in relationship when you’re on the go. He now had me where he wanted.
Here I now sit thinking about the current circumstances. I still have much growing to do in learning to let things roll off and being content with not knowing everything. God has been teaching me the heart is just as important as the mind. I shouldn’t fear it, but embrace it. He needs to be my “one thing.” It’ll all trickle down after that. There is a reason Jesus emphasizes keeping our eyes on the Father. The rest of the distractions start to fade away. We aren’t startled by the noise. We see before us what is truly necessary and strain to listen for that still small voice. It’s amazing when we let go and slow down how much more fruit we bear and how or situations play out.
Looking back I’m seeing how all the hardship, growth and new connections are starting to fit. It was extremely hard in the beginning because I tried so hard to see how things would fit, but God kept that from me. I still have moments now where I make the grave mistake of leaning on my own understanding and acting on my own accord instead of just waiting. So much waiting, but it’s so God can set everything up that all we may do is walk into it ready to receive. However my heart is not mature enough for that yet, and so I continue to grow in acting like a child (sounds so contradictory doesn’t it?).
