At a time when my life seemed overwhelming, I read an article in the Atlanta Journal about voluntary simplicity. It was a fascinating article featuring several families that chose to leave the rat race behind and live a simpler life like Jesus did. It inspired me greatly. It seemed impossible at the time because I had accumulated too much stuff after eleven years of living in the same house.
It was 1997 when I read the article and began focusing on getting rid of the unnecessary things in my life. Every year, I would clean out clutter by donating loads of stuff to thrift stores and selling some things. My goal evolved from living with less clutter to keeping only what a typical vacation home would have.
After spending many summers working on simplifying, I am reaping the fruit of my labor. Although, I am not 100% at my goal, my house is so easy to keep clean. I spend very little time looking for things, and I have so much more time to do what I love and enjoy.
I am free from letting my stuff define me. I have stepped away from the “more is better” philosophy of the Western world. I have a new mindset.
It’s so easy in America to fall into the trap of believing that happiness is attained through material possessions. Spiritually speaking, material stuff doesn’t do anything for our souls. Owning too much stuff can even stress and overwhelm us.
A simplistic mindset changes every aspect of life. It frees up our schedules. It makes relationships easier. It allows us to get more things accomplished. It frees us to enjoy God’s presence and the simple beauty of nature. Most importantly, it gives us more time to nurture our spirits. Simplicity changes everything.
In this chaotic world, when we take time to be still, Christ beckons us with His love to come and enter into His presence and enjoy His treasures. In the quiet moments, I can hear Him whispering, I have all that your heart longs for. In Me, you will find treasures that cannot be lost or stolen. In Me alone, you will find perfect satisfaction.
We can’t take our stuff with us when we pass on. So why not spend most of our time investing in eternal treasures? No matter how much others are reveling in their material possessions, there is freedom in knowing that happiness grows from within the spirit.
I believe following Christ and living a simple life go hand in hand. There is truly abundant joy in simple living. I pray that you will find peace and contentment in Christ alone.
