Simple Living: It Can Be Yours!

Simple living might seem like a mirage. Maybe it’s an unrealized desire. And it could be that we long for a simpler life but don’t know exactly how to get from chaos to simple. But whatever it really is, and however one defines it, simple living is being pursued by many! But simple living can be defined and it can be attained. So I invite you to a journey. It’s not short and it’s not necessarily easy. But the goal is worth our time!

Simple Living: An Introduction

Recent events have been the result of combining and collision. Maybe convergence is a better word. The convergence of weather patterns gave us hurricanes Harvey and Irma. And this series is the result of converging factors in my life and ministry.
The church I serve will begin a Simple Living study next week. I generated the featured image for this post in preparation for that study. We will be looking for simplicity in four areas:

• Relationships
• Time
• Money
• Church

The Simple Living study is something I am drafting, writing, and compiling. Part of this study is to give people resource help. Simple Life is one book we will recommend. So the simple concept is very much in my thoughts. Another element in life right now is my personal study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. And the third element is cultural. People are weary of many things. They are clamoring to simplify life. We see it in so many places that we may not recognize the movement it has become. Take a deliberate look at:

• Tiny House television shows
• D.I.Y. shows – build less, live better (more simply)
• Word processor themes – ‘minimalist’ (see WORD by Microsoft)
• Website designs/designers – ‘minimalist’ themes (instruction: less is more!)

So that is a list of converging factors responsible for this series. But that only explains why the Simple Living series will appear over the next few weeks/months.

John 10:10

Simple Living: Abundant Life

Our modern search is for simplicity. Jesus said He came that we we might have abundant life. In some ways, those two are the same thing. But let’s be clear. A simple life is not necessarily the abundant life Jesus came to give. But the abundant life He gives is far simpler than many people believe. It will take some time and may take some un-learning, but I’m sure we will be able to prove that statement.

Simple Living: Message For…?

Somebody out there thinks this series won’t apply to them. They think they have read, studied, heard, or preached everything there is to know about Jesus’ instructions for living. Great. I’m glad learned people exist. But then there are the rest of us…

Simple Life: 1 of MANY books helping people search for ‘simple.’

Even if I don’t believe there’s much I can learn for myself, the culture around me is in a hot, passionate pursuit of simplicity. So maybe one use of this series is providing ways to engage our culture where it is. The Church has been good at telling the culture that they shouldn’t where they are doing what they are doing. That may be true. But the condition of our culture proves the ineffectiveness of our method.

Maybe it’s time we sharpened our message and our method. The simplicity they are seeking does exist. But lasting happiness, which is represented by simplicity, is found in one Person. We can help ourselves and others if we are authentic in our pursuit of Him and His ideals.

Maybe we need to pursue some simplicity in our own lives before we try to help others. How did Jesus say that? Well, the cartoonist did a great job reminding us of that! But Jesus also said:

You hypocrite, first take the log our of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck of our your brother’s eye.

Simple Living: Next Post

So please feel free to comment, share these posts, and share your thoughts. Let’s journey toward simple living. I’m convinced it will benefit all of us.

Soli Deo Gloria!