Living Simply, Living Abundantly: Jesus’ Way of Cultivating Contentment

So, our world had gone from keeping up with the Joneses to keeping up with the Kardashians. 

We live day in and day out with the message that more things equals more happiness. But are we really happier?  Every year, mental health is a growing issue; people struggle to survive paycheck to paycheck because of their debt, and the news is just a cycle of chaos and despair. I have a hard time believing that everything this world offers us is making us happier. I think Jesus would agree. He taught and lived a simple life. One that isn’t about chasing what this world says is important, but rather, one that gives a truly abundant life. 

Exploring Jesus’ Teachings on Contentment

So, what does Jesus say about simplicity? Throughout his ministry, Jesus consistently emphasized the importance of inner peace, contentment, and seeking God’s kingdom above all else. We know Jesus didn’t own much other than the clothes he wore, but he was always taken care of.  Jesus taught that true happiness comes from a heart after God, not from material possessions or external circumstances. He also said that we should not worry about tomorrow but instead focus on God and living each day to the fullest. 

And the weird thing is people haven’t changed much.  We still worry about tomorrow, what others think, and having enough, and all the things the people Jesus was talking to worried about.  The good thing is that this means Jesus’ teachings on simplicity and abundance are still relevant today. In a world that constantly bombards us with messages about consumerism and materialism, it is easy to forget that the life Jesus invites us into is really the start of true happiness.  When we focus on our relationship with God and others and live in the present moment, we can experience the peace and abundance that Jesus promises in John 10:10.

Jesus talks a lot about seeking the Kingdom of God.  It’s one of the most important things he talks about. Living in God’s kingdom would mean not only trusting God to take care of you but also having a standard of how you live your life for people to know you belong to that people and live under that King.  Seeking God’s Kingdom is why he encouraged his followers not to worry about their material needs but to trust in God’s provision. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, “ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

And the more you look into the life Jesus offers, the more you realize it’s the life we’re made for.  Science shows the benefit of contentment, thankfulness, and gratitude, having a purpose for your life bigger than yourself, and on and on.  

So the question now isn’t did Jesus talk about simplicity, but how do we live a simple life?

Practical Steps Towards Simplicity

For the next three weeks, we will be doing some practical how-to and getting specific on what you can do to live a simple life today.  And with each step of simplicity, hopefully, your burdens get lighter, and your time opens up to more of Jesus and his way of life. But before we get into the practical steps, we must first get into the right mindset. 

Set Your Mind Right

The tricky thing about applying the Bible sometimes is how different our world feels from the one Jesus lived in. He didn’t have a cell phone or social media. There weren’t soccer games or school plays. There weren’t a lot of extras to life, so it seems like there wasn’t much of a choice other than to be simple, which is probably why Jesus talked more about mindset than how to. Everything about a simple life starts with a mindset of how much is enough.  When we’re focused on things other than God, it’s easy to think, “If I just have ______,” it will be enough. And we get the thing, and it’s still not enough. So, the first step is to find contentment with where you are. Can you get your frame of mind to a place where you can honestly say, “If nothing changed about my quality of life, I would still be happy.”

Reflect on Your Priorities

Knowing what is most important in your life will help it be the most important in your time and space.  When I realized I didn’t have time to do everything I wanted to, I condensed my hobbies to photography and writing and got rid of a lot of the extra stuff my other hobbies came with. It simplified my space and simplified my focus. I was able to spend more time doing what I really loved to do, and I didn’t feel guilty having stuff that I wasn’t using lying around the house. So here are some questions to ask yourself to focus on “What are your priorities”:

• What are the things that are most important to you?
• What brings you joy and fulfillment?
• What are your goals and aspirations?
• How can you achieve your goals without sacrificing your inner peace and contentment?

Be Focused

It never fails that I will start to simplify things and the get bored or distracted halfway through, leaving me with a bigger, unorganized mess than what I started with.  So, as we walk through the practical steps of a more simplified life, commit to be focused through the process and not take on more than you can handle for that exact moment. Here’s what that means:

• Make sure you have time to complete your task: If you only have 10 minutes to work on something, pick something that will only take 10 minutes. 
• Don’t multitask: it will feel like it’s taking twice as long to simplify (and might actually take longer) and declutter if you’re also doing it with a million other tasks; make it the main thing.
• Set expectations: What does a simple life look like to you? Does a wall of book-filled shelves give you simple joy? Or is it a clean coffee table or no coffee table? Set a clear picture of what you want your spaces to look like so you know when you’ve achieved it.
• Set Boundaries: What will you and what won’t you do during this process? If you aren’t ready to go through all the things your parents left you after they died, then set that as a boundary. Don’t feel like you failed because you didn’t do everything. 
• Set rules: We’ll get into some ideas around this, but setting some ground rules for things will help you save brain power and make a lot of choices for you.  How often do you need to use something for you to have the option of keeping it? Are you getting rid of everything that doesn’t fit right now, or are you giving yourself some comfy clothes or goal clothes to keep, etc.?

By working for simplicity and following Jesus, you may discover a life of contentment that outways the world’s promise of fleeting highs. As a “Weird Soul” who embraces a different way of life, we can experience a way of life that can only be found through Jesus.

Stay Weird,