Embracing Simplicity

 🌾

Looking back, how many defining moments can you say you have had in your life? Several, I bet. I marvel at how I was sure I would die if and when certain things happened and yet, here I am. I would have never imagined that at 26 I would not have gone to the uni I wanted to, not studied the field I was passionate about, lost friends I was convinced I would grow old with, lost weight over a boy (a kg or two haha) lost my mum, been apart from my sister indefinitely, not gotten the job I thought I wanted, and falling into the same sin repeatedly.. This isn't self-pity, this is reality. To be candid, I cannot say I stand completely pain-free at this point, but God chooses those drastically life-altering events to show himself God. Simultaneously, some things nothing short of miraculous were also happening to me;  I was given 24 precious years with my mum, I met one of my dearest friends in a remote village in one of the strangest countries in the world, I travelled with my sister, saw many wonders and made precious memories. Through it all, one thing that struck me is that our sense of purpose comes from the things we think define us, and yet actually do not. Loss, regret, guilt, tragedy, accomplishment, success and even love are the coal in the refining furnace into which we must be thrown if we are to become more like Christ and learn to keep our minds on things above.

Part of the reason I haven't written in so long is because the many lessons God taught me came through pain.. and it's far from over. Exposing scars and wounds is not fun but “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

There might be someone out there who needs to read this.

My mother lived a very simple life. Much to my frustration sometimes, her lifestyle was minimalist, she was expressive but never demanding, she gave and gave and when she died, part of my excruciating pain came from the belief that she was owed so much more by God, by the world and by the people she loved most. But was she really owed anything? ““Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

Romans 11:35-36 NIV

A lot to me just seemed really unfair, but I think when we meet again she will laugh warmly and disagree with my definition of unfair, because in life, I believe she had found the secret to contentment, the one that the apostle Paul spoke of when he said:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:12-13 NIV

That is what I venture to call "The Simple Life."

Life is no doubt tumultuous, to say the least. Littered in the mundane are countless curveballs we could not possibly anticipate and periods of mania and depression.. So calling it simple sounds like a gross understatement when it can so evidently be complicated and yet, the word of God proposes that a live well-lived begins with surrendering as opposed to striving. In a sense; we may have to actually strive for this simplicity -which also sounds counterintuitive- but is actually supernaturally attainable.

Some of us may appreciate the notion of a simple or carefree life but not many would want a simplicity that costs us our ambition. Despite overwhelming research that shows that although technology improves connectivity and ease of access (in other words simplifies communication and many otherwise tedious tasks) it clutters the mind and encourages antisocial behaviour- very few of us are willing to limit our usage let alone do away with it altogether. The music we enjoy suggests that we desire intriguing relationships that are marked by passionate fighting and making up and yet the road to these is seldom simple. Many of us aspire toward fame and legacies, we want the honour that comes from recognition for doing something worthwhile, we want to change the world.. And we just don't see simplicity being the road that takes us to these things. The simple life can even sound like settling for less, but simplicity is not the absence of difficulty, it is not burying in your head in the sand and letting the world pass you by, it is not naïveté.. It is confronting all that confronts you with a peace that transcends all understanding guarding your heart and mind.

Your life will not be perfect, breathe that in. In fact, you were not made to be happy, Jesus prepared his disciples for the physical dangers awaiting them after his death by saying, ““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””

John 16:33 NIV As a Christian in our world today, this verse could not be more pertinent.

God has far bigger and enduring plans for us what will become clearer as we untangle ourselves from a complicated world view and relinquish control.

There are many realities that I struggle with daily but I have found tremendous blessing and freedom in yielding to these truths, many go without saying and yet I pray that by reading them again and perhaps thinking of more, God would renew your mind, increase your desire to surrender to him and simplify your life amidst the chaos.

~God is omnipotent. That means you will not have a choice in many of the circumstances you find yourself in; the colour of your skin, the family you are born into, the country you belong to.. Even the opportunities you seized did not come to you by your own ingenuity. There are some things which fundamentally you will never be able to change and they do not surprise God, he was intentional in making you as you are and placing you where you are.  

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Psalm 139:13, 16 NIV

~You are not omniscient, you do not have all the answers and you cannot predict the future. You will have many questions, many of which will not be answered in this lifetime and that is ok, we have to be ok with not being God. 

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.””

Psalm 46:10 NIV

~You have your own portion and it is designed to uniquely fit you. It will not look like anyone else. Comparison, covetousness, even a sense of superiority are a disease that will inhibit you from loving others as sincerely as God calls you to. Trust God's wisdom in apportioning your specific talents and limitations.

 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. Psalm 16:5 NIV

~Singleness, loneliness or the absence of constant companionship is an opportune time to get close to God and hear him most clearly. Like the psalmist David, cry out to God and he will incline his ear to you. He longs to hear from you. It is the most optimal time to immerse yourself in the heart of God and reject the lie that anyone else can satisfy you more than he does.

"An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband." 1 Corinthians 7:34

~Taking 1000 pictures before you find the perfect one to post because your crooked teeth are showing or tummy looks flabby is nurturing discontentment with your self-image. Rather than striving for a shape you were not created with, strive to live healthy and embrace your body. It takes sheer grace to be able to exercise for health and not vanity. Beauty after all, is fleeting. Women, do not be afraid to go make up-less and extension-less even if it's only periodical to remind yourself that 'you are not your hair', and don't buy the lie that true beauty is achieved by aesthetic enhancement. If you spend more of time working to "beat that face" than preparing your heart for heaven you will be sorely disappointed one day. To say the least. Men, a woman who does not look anything like your fantasy but fears the Lord is worth pursuing. 

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Proverbs 31:28, 30 NIV

~One day, you will lose the ones you love to death, and some day, you too will die and the only thing that can make sense of that for you is living mindful of your mortality. There is a beautiful life and reunion after death with Christ for those who have trusted in him. 

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NIV

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 NIV

~You will also lose the ones you love to heartbreak, broken friendships, even estranged families.. In God you have a love that ultimately satisfies and needs no supplements, and this love heals and restores brokenness. God is also the ultimate matchmaker and the family that he provides transcends bloodlines. 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Psalm 147:3 NIV

~Trust God with your unanswered prayers. Disappointment cannot be ignored but cast eyes of faith on him who is always working everything out (yes, even that which hurts) for your good. 

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV

It is not confidence in the desires we hope for but in the goodness and promises of God, whichever way they manifest in our lives.

~Simplicity is not synonymous with apathy. It sometimes means going forth in action and leaving the results to God, the one who creates all outcomes before they happen and determines their appointed time.  
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11 NIV

~We will sin against God and others,  and we will do so constantly but if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive even our most shameful deeds. He is patient and kind even at our most despicable.  

 “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

Psalm 103:8-14 NIV

~We should not trust in man for our ultimate joy, love and salvation. It is foolish to look to man for approval, that is placing a yoke upon ourselves. We are fallible. Loving parents will sometimes fail, astute governments will disillusion and you, despite your best intentions will disappoint others. This reality should not harden our hearts towards others but make us more gracious while trusting fully in God.  

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Numbers 23:19 NIV

~Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you. At different times this may mean responding or being proactive. Do good to them without expecting reciprocation, gratitude and sometimes even decency. The Lord who sees your heart will reward you. (Without a doubt the hardest to swallow) but the fact that God loves and pursues wretches like us should sober and compel us anytime we find ourselves getting prideful and withholding mercy from others.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 NIV

~Avoid quarrels and engage wisely, if at all necessary, with contentious people.

“It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”

Proverbs 20:3 NIV

~Let things go. It is not by your might to change another heart or right all wrongs. Not all justice will be delivered on earth but it will certainly be delivered on the day of judgement. 

“For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Hebrews 10:30-31 NIV

Embrace simplicity is the code that I now live by and it is one worth living for for three reasons: 1. You only need God. You do not need anything or anybody else as much as you think you do.. (So stop for a second and think about where your treasure lies. Will you die if you don't get that body, that guy, that job, if your beloved dies?) 2. God looks at your heart, he is not impressed by your outward appearance or achievements. World changers are those bringing his kingdom to earth rather than building their own. 3. Your life is but a vapour, you are here today and gone tomorrow. Like grass we wither and perish and that means earthly pains are temporal and God-given pleasures are a foretaste of the joy set before us with Christ in eternity!

So.. what makes life simple even when things are not going your way? Making him the centre of your world- not you. Knowing him is the greatest life hack of all. 

Application for our daily lives 

Do not worry about tomorrow, no matter how threatening it looks, God will be there. 

Enjoy and thank God for the little things in your life, we often want him to intervene in our most desperate times but we don't exercise our faith by resting in him on a daily basis.

Find ways to delight in God every day, in your hobbies, nature, just for loving you.

Pray and know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are praying on your behalf, even when you are weak you are not alone.

Don't wait until you're personally comfortable to give to others without expecting anything in return. 

Serve without waiting to be acknowledged. 

Make wise friends and spend time with those who see you for who God created you to be. 

Don't wait for an apology to be able to forgive someone. 

Be quick to ask for forgiveness. 

Don't wait until you have all your ducks in a row to take a risk, faith in yourself is false confidence, like David and Goliath, take your 5 stones and a sling and ask God to intervene. 

Humble yourself under the Lord's mighty hand, those who trust in him have never been put to shame.

Most of all, take a moment to step back and thank God for the person you are becoming, by his grace alone, you are not who you used to be. You look more like Jesus and less like you. 

When someone wonders why you are so filled with joy and calm despite everything that is going on around you, tell them the reason for your hope. 

“He must become greater; I must become less.””

John 3:30 NIV