IRONICALLY, THE SPIRITUAL RHYTHM OF SIMPLICITY may be one of the more abstract and difficult rhythms to grasp! Are your life circumstances and lifestyle simple? Very few are in our day and age. What would it take to simplify?

Perhaps you feel busy and overextended. Many people do. What would it take to simplify your calendar and commitments practically? Well, you may have to say “no” to some things. Which ones would you say “no” to? That becomes a question of values and priorities, doesn’t it? What do you value most? You see it doesn’t take long before seemingly simple practical considerations about simplifying get to what our hearts value most.

There are many ways to grow toward simplicity in our behaviors. You could simplify your possessions to free up space for generosity. You could simplify your schedule to free up space for rest or to give more effectively to the commitments you make. You could simplify your speech to not “undersell” and devalue or “oversell” and exaggerate to free up space for listening and for the truth. But, as we make those practical decisions, we have to make value judgments that speak to our priorities— to who or what we love. That means that simplicity is ultimately an issue of the heart.

However! As soon as someone says a phrase like “inward simplicity” you may feel a kind of dense fog fall over your mind along with some melody from an indie folk song as you say, “What?” But, remember that all of the spiritual rhythms work like this—inside out. God changes minds, hearts, and souls when He wants to change lives. God wants to simplify our lives for good, so He will have to simplify what our heart loves and trusts.

In Mark 10:17-31, a wealthy man who seems to do all of the right, religious things on the outside questions Jesus. But, when Jesus tells this man to simplify by selling everything he has to give to the poor and follow Him, the man goes away sad. As Jesus had said earlier in the Gospel of Mark, there really is a way to gain the whole world and still be missing something—your soul.

As the wealthy, religious man goes away sad, Jesus exclaims just how difficult it is for those who have more than enough to enter God’s Kingdom. In fact, Jesus says that it is impossible to get into the Kingdom by what you do or don’t do, what you have or don’t have. Only God can give that kind of entrance. When it came down to it, this wealthy, religious man loved his stuff more than generosity and following Jesus; he wouldn’t give up his kingdom for God’s Kingdom.

In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus tells a bunch of anxious and worried people about not having enough to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first and let God provide everything necessary for that. The wealthy man had too much, and the worried folks had too little. But, they were actually both missing the same thing— simple love and trust in God. It is quite the insight to realize that both excess and lack can cloud the mind, heart, soul, and life of a person.

The temptation is to think that what we need is “enough.” And, it is certainly an important thing to consider as we practice the spiritual rhythm of simplicity: How much is enough? But again, what we really need is an issue of the heart and soul—we need contentment in God no matter the circumstances. If our hearts are simplified to the point of trusting and loving God and His ways, then we will have the capacity to be content whether in times of abundance and in times of lack. Why? Because our worth, value, security, peace, purpose, etc. is not attached to external stuff or circumstances; rather, our minds, hearts, and souls are securely, simply attached to God.

When it comes to the spiritual rhythm of simplicity, possessions are a great place to start. How much do you consume? How much do you have? How much do you give? And the all-important question underneath—Why? What do you value most? The process and practice sections are going to help you explore and engage simplicity more personally.

But before you get too far, remember that simplicity helps us in our journey of spiritual formation. We want the Spirit of God to reform us to be like Jesus. And our heroes in this day and age often start with nothing and end up rich and famous. But, remember Jesus? He is our True Hero. Jesus, the Son of God, gave up everything and became poor to the point of death on a cross to give all of His riches and glory and Kingdom to us. He gave all of Himself and all He had to seek and to save the lost. If you want to be more like that, more like Jesus, then the spiritual rhythm of simplicity of heart and life will help you along the way.

Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
…freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking first the kingdom of God. The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions.

Albert E. Day, Discipline & Discovery
Where there is simplicity, words can be taken at their face value. There are no hidden or double meanings… there is no artificiality. One does not try to appear younger, wiser, or richer than one is—or more saintly!

PROCESS
Here is a Scripture devotional and a key quote or two to help you consider the spiritual rhythm of simplicity this week, individually and with others.

Read Mark 10:17-31.

– What stands out to you about the wealthy man’s question and Jesus’ response to him?
– What could it cost to follow Jesus and what is the reward according to this passage?
– How does our attachment to possessions reveal who or what our hearts treasure most?
– How might simple trust in Jesus’ words in this passage save us from the worry of too little and the excesses of too much?
– How might you solidify your devotion to Jesus by downsizing excess in some way to be generous?

PRACTICE:

Here is a daily Scripture reading plan with some practical suggestions to help you get started in your next step of growth in spiritual rhythms. Consider this Scripture reading plan and suggestions this week.

– Mark 10:17-31 – Ask God to assess your attachment to possessions.
– Matthew 6:19-34 – Notice anxieties connected with lack and excess.
– Psalm 73 – Notice the danger of comparisons and satisfaction in God.
– Psalm 16 – Downsize an area of excess to maximize joy in God.
– 2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:6-15 – Display Jesus through a generous act.

RESOURCES:

Introductory: The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

Intermediate: Radical by David Platt

Advanced: Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster