Less is More: Simply Trust Him

In my last blog, I wrote that attempting a more simplistic life is so much easier said than done. While “simple” may denote effortlessness, I have concluded that living simply is more complex than at first observation. However, in this blog, it is my hope that a small sampling of these veiled mysteries will be revealed and that an understanding of Scripture will allow you to turn understanding into action.

You have already learned that trust in God is the single most important lesson needed to begin our new journey on how to live more simply. But sometimes, there is a struggle to learn how to live and how to make decisions that affect our life. For example, do we buy the new dishwasher or car? Are music lessons more important than braces?

Throughout the ages, God has emphasized that He seeks those that trust and obey His word. In order to trust, we must be convinced that God is faithful to keep His word and promises to us. We will now look at two profound instances in the Bible that will reveal the depth of the trust issues.

1) Starting from the beginning is a very good place to start. The very first laws that God sent to His children to give them order and direction into their life are found in the Ten Commandments. The first three commandments staccato warnings against idolatry. Idolatry is anything that attempts to align itself higher than God. The last commandment strikes at the very heart of sin…the spirit of covetousness, or the undisciplined craving of attainment for more and more.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not proponing that having things is wrong. What I am stating is that when ambition or acquisitions become our focus or our idol, then like an alcoholic, we become so engulfed by the disease that we do not recognize the problem. God clearly warns us in His commandments that diverting from His law will lead us toward living a life separate from Him.

2) The second instance voices what Adam and Eve stated just after the fall, “We will provide for ourselves." Independence, or the attitude of self-reliance, comes at a high price. We are designed to look to God solely for our dependence and trust. When we truly realize that all we have comes from His gracious hand, then we can begin to foster a deeper trust; then we can begin to let go of our false notions that we must acquire on our own terms. Simplicity means a return to that dependency. Our intrinsic value is not tied to wealth, status, accomplishment, or position. What we have is a gift.

When we look at our material blessings, we then begin to realize that they are not for us alone, but for the good of all. God’s great generosity to us allows us to model that generosity to others. Because He gave, we are enabled to give. Living simply means that we trust God for His provisions and that what we have comes from a generous Father. Trusting frees us to give from a grateful heart, knowing that we give because we were given. Idolatry and covetness are replaced by obedience and blessing.

As we progress in our attempts to live more simply, we shall see this blessing is not in terms of materialism as touted in today’s mass media. Material blessings, while pleasant to have, turn sour when too much of a good thing becomes clutter. God’s blessing is His peace or Shalom. The vision of Shalom is captured by what Bishop John Taylor calls “the theology of enough.” I pray that you have enough understanding to begin to put thoughts into action.

In my next blog we will learn that living simply is not an action that we must strive to do, but rather, it is from God’s grace that allows simplicity to reign in our lives.

~Eileen Koff, CPO
To The Next Level