Simplicity creates margins and spaces and openness in our lives. – Adele CalhounÂ
Do you feel like you’re going way over the speed limit of life, yet still falling behind?
I’m blessed to spend some weekly time with a group of moms, where we share our praises and our struggles as we journey through biblical motherhood. Recently, we discussed a podcast for women on the topic of the spiritual practice of simplicity in the Christian life.
Simplicity.
For a mom.
Yeah, we found it a hilarious thought too.
We challenged ourselves to a couple of experiments in the spiritual practice of simplicity. The first experiment was to take a minute of complete silence with our eyes closed. No phones, no talking, just breathing in silence. That minute stretched out for what felt like forever. Had I peeked, I’m sure I would have seen uncomfortable squirming or fidgeting, just like I was feeling.
Then we tried five minutes, but encouraged everyone to journal their thoughts during that time. Five minutes went by way too fast.
So, what did we gain from our experiment of a spiritual practice of simplicity?
A lot actually.
We gained an increased awareness of how conditioned we’ve become to avoid silence at all costs. Our wiring defaults to the urge to pick up the phone and scroll, squirm in our chairs, or seek out some other distraction or stimulus.
Too often, we subconsciously seek distractions while it’s the distractions that are killing our capacity for silence, stillness and simplicity.
The five minute experiment showed us how our perception of time changes depending on what we are doing in the silence and simplicity. We can spend five minutes (or five hours) scrolling our phones, or we can spend the same amount of time in the simplicity of creative rest. We reflected. No parameters, no guidelines, just notebooks, pens and five minutes.
What is the spiritual practice of simplicity?
​Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19 – 2 1).
We can find freedom not by having or doing all the things, but in keeping God’s will first in our heart. God wants us to draw closer and find the simplicity that invites us to see and experience daily blessings.
We are each created uniquely. What simplicity looks like for me may look different for you. Simplicity asks us to set boundaries and lessen our choices. It asks us to remove some of the complexity of life to free up space so we can be and live more fully in the present.
There’s a statistic that about 20% of what we do produces about 80% of our results. Simplicity is focusing on that 20%. We can do ourselves a disservice by looking at the big picture and working backwards if we limit our view to focusing solely on the outcome. Accepting that life isn’t a linear process and there will be loop-de-loops along the way has saved me so much frustration. It’s taught me to ask what the simple choice is that I can make in any given moment. It’s also taught me that the loop-de-loops can hold unseen blessings.
When urgency and complexity fight against simplicity.
Have you ever noticed when you take the time to carve out space to start your day in a reflective way, the day generally goes smoother? Yet we get pulled in by all the things that feel urgent, even though they may not really be all that important.
We have a tendency to chase all the bells, whistles and shiny things. We think that learning something new or buying a new product is going to simplify our lives, when it actually may take up more time and make life more complicated.
It’s been said that moms work an equivalent of two and a half full time jobs, just by being a mom. When you throw in other relationships and commitments, it can feel overwhelming. After all, if we don’t do all the things, won’t the world fall apart?
Repeat after me: The world does not rest on my shoulders — it rests in God’s hands.
Constant doing could actually cause our world to fall apart. The simplicity of slowing down, reflecting, and just being are vital elements of self-care that in turn allow us to care for and love others from the overflow of our hearts. This is our great work here on earth, given to us by Christ.
But we need to slow down enough to hear this message and to be observant enough to see how to live it out. Our hearts must first be filled before the overflow can happen.
When simplicity seems too hard, it’s time to take it off of the pedestal of the unattainable. It’s not about living a life so full of simplicity that we make major shifts like throwing out a ton of stuff, canceling all the extracurriculars and living like monks.
Though that last one is sounding pretty good at the moment…
Fostering simplicity doesn’t have to be complex
Maybe instead of looking at this big, possibly overwhelming picture of what simplicity should look like, we can seek out small choices toward simplicity.
When my world felt like it was falling apart several years ago, God led me to some small choices that made a big impact. I stopped catching up on messages or the news while my daughter was at soccer practice or my son was at scouts. Instead, I took prayer walks or wrote in my journal. Being less distracted, I could glance up more often to watch my kids in their activity and appreciate the blessings of their health and strength. Plus, I finally started to lose some weight from walking.
Things that save time and mental energy are huge for me. Before I set up bill autopay, I used to take the bills as they came in, and with red sharpie in hand write the due date on my calendar, with a week warning ahead of time. The clutter would build on my counter or inbox, and in my mind. Even when digital payments became the norm, there was the issue of having to watch the calendar, navigate multiple websites, make calls or put a check in the mail. Autopay saves me so much time and mental energy!
Recently I’ve also discovered the joy of putting regular purchases on subscription. Every time I receive a package of something I’m almost out of, I thank my past self for taking the time to set that up. It saves me a load of mental energy. Plus, I get a dopamine hit. It feels a little like receiving a present from my past self.
Too many clothes to choose from? Lessen the choices. Want to lose weight? Start by drinking more water. Minor shifts over time can bring huge results for both our physical and mental health.
But what about holistic simplicity?
How can we foster a simplicity for our mind, body and spirit?
Mind
I often need physical movement so my mind can be still. When I go for a walk, I not only get the Vitamin D my body needs, but it helps clear my mind and allows me to think, to pray, to be. I have painful physical conditions that get worse when sitting for extended periods. Plus, my mind starts to wander. If I’m moving, it’s easier for me to clear my mind, reflect or think creatively. Much of my writing begins on these walks, spoken into my notes app to be cleaned up later.
What do you need to clear your mind and reflect or think creatively?
Body
I’m cold natured and don’t get out to walk as much in the winter. I’m feeling the extra pounds and pain. I would love to create an exercise routine that works with my crazy schedule, but that’s too complex for me right now. My simple solution? After some reflection, I’ve realized I drink way more coffee over the winter because I’m so cold. For Lent this year, I decided to commit to drinking less coffee and more water.
What simple choice can you make to be physically healthier?
Spirit
Spiritual practices, or spiritual disciplines, bring us closer to God. If you are looking for more practices in this area, I suggest Adele Calhoun’s Spiritual Disciplines Handbook. It is a great tool to learn what spiritual practices resonate best with each of us.
Once we choose a spiritual practice that resonates with us, we want to avoid overcomplicating them so they remain something we can continue to practice. For instance, let’s say you want to read the Bible in a year. You set up a daily reading time to achieve that goal in exactly 365 days, along with a daily time to sit down and achieve this outcome.
Then life happens, and the grace we give others needs also to be given to ourselves.
If your learning style is auditory, or sitting still causes you to fidget and your brain to wander, don’t beat yourself up. We have access to audio Bibles in numerous versions that work with our brain, not against it. My brain tracks fast, and learning how to increase the audio speed was helpful for me, but you can also slow it down. And since I don’t do well sitting still, I can listen while doing the dishes, during my commute or when out for a walk.
Perhaps you’re a mom of young children or otherwise have a busy schedule. Carving out that time can be even harder. There are Bibles with devotions for moms that offer varying lengths to accommodate your schedule and mental bandwidth. Whether you have one, five, or fifteen minutes, you can get a daily dose of inspiration. I also love the digital devotions on the Bible App, which we can read or listen to.
Uncomplicate life for simplicity
The journey to simplicity is a journey of making intentional choices, one step at a time. Remember to ask yourself, “What is one simple choice in any given moment that will move me toward a less complicated life?”
Is there an area of your life that would benefit from limiting your choices? If you’ve complicated your life with God, consider starting there and spending time in the practices that bring you into the peaceful presence of Christ. If you could use some inspiration, I encourage you to check out The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, and this song, Just Breathe.
I’d love to know and welcome your comment if this article inspired you to make a small change
toward a simpler life. Or to hear about a spiritual practice or discipline that has enriched your
life. Have a blessed and beautiful day!
