Friend, do not overcomplicate your life. Avoid letting your mind become preoccupied with your circumstances, as this hinders your understanding of the will of God. Complications steal joy and bring frustration. A simple Christian life is a surrendered life — a life where temporary worldly pleasures have no power and hold over you but rather can be set aside in favor of rest, worship, and acts of service. Such simplicity offers moments for quiet meditation in which God may reveal himself to you. You are called to live a simple life, free from the distractions and excesses of the world. Only then will your focus be on God and his kingdom.
Please understand that the great enemy of simplicity is a hunger for this world. The Christian is the person to whom his relationship with God through Christ is his greatest love. If instead, you set your heart on having earthly possessions, uninterrupted happiness, constant pleasure, and luxurious comfort, you are quite vulnerable, for you might lose these temporary things at any moment. Such a person can easily be disappointed and desperately hurt. On the other hand, if you give to Jesus Christ the highest place of honor in your life, you are right with God, and nothing on Earth can take that away from you.
The life I wish for you is not a life where you relentlessly deny yourself of things that might bring you comfort and pleasure. Instead, I wish for you to live a life focused on what is truly important, not distracted or tempted by things that are of no eternal value. A simple Christian life is letting go of everything that might hinder your walk with God and opening your heart and mind to embrace God as your greatest treasure, freeing yourself to live a life of willful commitment and humble obedience to him. The pursuit of things, power, reputation, and applause will only hinder the enjoyment of a simple life centered on God.
Living a simple life will also enable you to be more in tune with the needs of others. When you simplify your life, and when you are less preoccupied with what you must do to maintain your complicated life, you become better able to see and respond to the needs of others. When living a simple life, you will become more open to serving others and living out the teachings of Jesus Christ. I assure you, busyness will rob you of this great pleasure. Remember, too, that a simple life is a less stressful life, and that is good for everyone you love.
I pray that you be blessed with the discernment to know what to deal with and what to leave alone, what to pursue and what not to pursue. May you learn to live each moment in his presence, giving yourself completely to him and the plans he has for you. May he be pleased with each and every day of your life as you learn to be satisfied with your daily bread, serving as an example to others that wealth, possessions, busyness, and constant striving do not always result in joy. Be content with leading a simple life. May it be so!
