Soul Care - Simplicity
by Mary Elsbury
I love making cards to share with friends and even people I will never meet. I enjoy taking a sheet of cardstock and adding layers, sayings, and embellishments until I have created a little masterpiece in paper. There are days when it takes me an hour to create one card. There are other days when I have forgotten to look at the calendar and realize I need a card ASAP, so I whip out cardstock and add a little fancy paper and a sentiment and I’m done in 5 minutes. Advanced design or simple layout, they still bring joy to someone.
This month we are focusing on simplicity – the quality or condition of being plain or neutral; easily understood. Unfortunately, I don’t always embrace simplicity. I get engrossed in the complexities of life and forget to just breathe.
A simple life allows you to focus on what’s important, like people and your relationship with Jesus. As your focus shifts from being me-centered to Christ-centered, simplicity eventually shines through every aspect of your life.
I was listening to a sermon a few years back and was challenged to start giving more. I prayed and asked God to reveal what I should and could do. Money has always been a big trust issue for me. After looking over my bills and expenses, it was clear that I could afford to up my giving. I had to make some cuts to things that I wanted (but didn’t need) and donate more to my church and other religious organizations. I found that at the end of the year, I had given away far more than I ever imagined and was content without the extras.
Focusing on simplicity means appreciating the things in life more than the material things. By things, I mean your loved ones, your hobbies, nature, food, etc. Basically, more experiences and less stuff, focusing on Jesus and not on self.
So how did I embrace a simpler life? Here are a few of the ways that helped me focus more on Jesus than myself. I challenge you to try one or all of them.
Be grateful. I started with a small notebook and wrote down three things I was thankful for each day. They were small things like seeing a beautiful sunrise/sunset or sharing a laugh with a friend or not blowing my stack when cut off in traffic.
Notice small things. I learned to slow down when reading a Scripture passage and asked, “How do I see God working?” If you love to walk, look at the surroundings and people and marvel at creation.
Disconnect from electronics for at least 5 minutes daily. It is so hard to put the phone down! We are such a plugged-in world. No phone, tv, radio, computer. Sit in the silence and listen for what God might be saying to you. I found this was a great time to jot down what I was grateful for. Fast from electronics for 5 minutes, then 15. You will eventually go for a few hours without the yearning to be plugged in and focus on God instead.
I stopped comparing myself to others. God made us unique! Focus on the positives you can offer such as a warm smile, a hug, a kind word, or encouragement, etc.
Journal. If you are starting a “grateful” notebook, why not expand your horizons and add prayer requests, people that need salvation, church leaders, and current events.
Listen to the Word of God. I’ve used the Daily Audio Bible app (DAB) for years and it even has options for chronological, children and other languages – and it’s free! (Editor’s note: YouVersion, likewise, includes audio in many of their available translations.)
Focusing on Jesus takes time. Clearing out the excess in our lives might be painful (at least it was for me) but will offer greater benefits like a better understanding of Scripture and a closer walk with God.
