A Life of Simplicity
How much do you trust God?
Verse of the Day
“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
Today’s Devotional
We are called to trust at all times. When things are going well, it is easy to trust. When things are scary, uncertain, unknown, or confusing, we are still called to trust.
It is so beautiful to me that the Word of God encourages me to pour out my heart to Him. He actually wants me to bring it all to Him. The only way for the fear and uncertainty to calm down is to bring them into the Light. The only way for us to loosen our grasp on the things of this world is to release them to God.
I used to think that I was whining to God when I poured out my heart to Him. And maybe sometimes I still am whining. But God already knows all of my concerns, struggles and fears. So it seems to be more authentic for me to just be honest with God about everything. I have nothing to hide from God. He already sees and knows it all. When I can finally get honest and raw about everything, then my heart is in the right position to see things from His point of view.
Many times, when I have poured out my heart to God, I follow that with statements of trust. Instead of saying, “God, I need your help with this” I now force myself to say, “God, I need your help with this and I trust you to show me what to do.” It has been a difficult change to remember to declare my trust in God with every prayer. But He has never let me down. And I need lots of reminders to trust. It’s just too easy to worry. And in the midst of worry, I am grasping too tightly on something – anything – that is not mine to hold.
I read this in an online devotional last week: “Do we trust that God is who He says He is? That He has our best interests at heart? That He will provide for our needs? Or will we let worry—a mindset of scarcity and fear—run the show? Fear breeds fear. Worry compounds worry. But trust? It paves the way for peace and freedom and joy and hope. And this is where God loves to break through.” I pray that my trust will continue to grow. I pray that I will choose to trust instead of worrying or giving in to fear. I pray that my trust breeds peace, freedom, joy and hope. I pray that as I practice the discipline of simplicity, my trust in God continues to grow.
Let’s finish this month with a few final thoughts from Richard Foster about simplicity:
- Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.
- Experiencing the inward reality liberates us outwardly. Speech becomes truthful and honest. The lust for status and position is gone because we no longer need status and position. We cease from showy extravagance not on the grounds of being unable to afford it, but on the grounds of principle. Our goods become available to others.
- Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us.
- Descriptions of the abundant material provision God gives his people abound in Scripture. “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land…a land…in which you will lack nothing.” (Deut 8:7-9) Warnings about the danger of provisions that are not kept in proper perspective also abound. “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’” (Deut 8:17)
- Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not ours to keep and can be freely shared with others.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How would you rate your trust?
What value have you found in practicing the discipline of simplicity?
Do you trust that God is who He says He is?
Do you trust that God has your best interests at heart?
Do you trust that He will provide for your needs?
What happens when you let worry—a mindset of scarcity and fear—run the show?
How worthy is God of your trust?