There is, I think, a certain irony in my not being able to find my old copy of Richard Foster's Freedom of Simplicity because of the complicated clutter of books I have! I am still going to write about simplicity as a weapon, however, in the hope that I will be challenged to further simplification by what I am about to write.
Simplicity as a weapon? Yes, and an important one, too! I continue for the foreseeable future to write this series on our weapons, and although I am hardly an expert on simplicity, I was nudged to include it here because it, like peace, is so key in the exercise of other weapons like kindness, generosity, prayer, joy, etc. How so? Because complexity equals distraction, and distraction always weakens us in battle and is therefore one of our adversary's favorite weapons. (Think about it). He has other ways to distract us, of course, but simplicity of life offers protection against those as well. So take a look with me at a few thoughts about simplifying our lives.
First, much of what I write here has its roots in my recent re-reading of "The Simplification of Life" by Thomas Kelly in A Testament of Devotion. You will do well to read this essay if Papa nudges you to respond to this blog in some way. Also, the core of living a simplified life is found in living a life focused on the "One Thing," and I have written considerably about the One Thing life all along, of course. I have even written two blogs entitled "One Thing" that you may find helpful. You can read them in a separate window by clicking here and here.
Second, simplicity is not found by adjusting the external but the internal part of our lives. I love what Thomas Kelly says about this: "Let me first suggest that we are giving a false explanation of the complexity of our lives. We blame it upon a complex environment." But, he says, "Complexity of program cannot be blamed upon the complexity of our environment." Rather, he says, "the true explanation of our program is an inner one, not an outer one. The outer distractions of our interests reflect an inner lack of integration of our own lives."
But how do we counteract this lack of inner integration? How do we go from the distraction of many voices to following only One voice? Well, of course, I give a hint as to how I wrote that last sentence. We reach simplicity of life by living not a prioritized life (God first, others second, etc.), but a "centered life" with the One who loves us most at the center of everything else. As we live increasingly attentive to and yielded to Him (the One Thing life), simplicity grows accordingly. This isn't rocket science, of course. If we indeed are attentive to One voice instead of many, if we surrender willingly to His leading, it follows that complexity simply melts away in the light of His clear and single-minded purpose. Writing about the well known Quaker, John Woolman, Kelly says, "He simplified life on the basis of its relation to the divine Center." And "Nothing else really counted so much as attentiveness to that Root of all living which he found within himself." (Wow!). In short, John Woolman (and many others throughout church history and in this present day) discovered that focus on God brings about a wonderful simplicity of life. The more we surrender, listen, obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, the more we live loved, listening, surrendered and saturated (to use my terms), the more simple life becomes. We find ourselves more and more able to say no to the urgent and yes to the important (another great book that relates to all this is Freedom from Tyranny of the Urgent by Charles Hummel). We find ourselves more able to hear the quiet voice in the storm, more able to surrender our anxieties more quickly to the One who can calm them, etc.
At this point I need to say two things: First, "No, I don't live this way all the time! Yes, I live there more than I used to. Yes, I lived it out to some extent even in the face of terrible testing, but no, I don't live this way all the time, and I still struggle with distraction at times." But I am a very different fellow from the one who first entered the Secret Place over 8 years ago, and I trust my life will give hope to others who read my story either here or face to face with me! Second, you don't strive or strategize your way into this simplified life, you love your way into it, you surrender and yield your way into it. Thomas Kelly causes our hearts to burn as he writes of "joyful, enthusiastic delight in Him" and "deep, deep-drawing love directed toward Him at every hour of the day and night." And "There is a way of life so hid with Christ in God that in the midst of the day's business one is inwardly lifting brief prayers, short expressions of praise, subdued whispers of adoration..." well, you get the picture, I think. The point is, we love our way into simplicity by experiencing His love for us and responding with a love for Him which moves Him more and more into the center, the true and absolute center, of our lives.
Will you consider simplifying your life? I highly recommend it! I close with Thomas Kelly again, his words revealing why simplicity is indeed a powerful weapon: "Life from the Center is a life of unhurried peace and power. It is simple. It is serene. It is amazing. It is radiant. It is triumphant. It takes no time but occupies all of our time. And it makes our life programs new and overcoming. We need not get frantic. He is at the helm. And when our little day is done we lie down quietly in peace, for all is well."
Learning to live more simply,
Tom, one of Abba's children
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