For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God…

2 Corinthians 1:12

It is a new year, and the call has gone out to simplify our lives. It seems every other email I have received lately was an article on six ways to simplify my life or 10 great products that would do the simplifying for me. 

Many offered great ideas. Yet, if I pursued them all, my life would be anything but simple. We are at risk of complicating our lives with elaborate efforts to simplify.

Don’t get me wrong, I think decluttering our spaces, our schedules, and even our thought life is a very healthy pursuit. I have written before about the benefits of leaving margins in our lives. Margins allow space for what God might have us do. It gives us time for others. It sets aside money that can be spent on those in need. It reduces the anxiety prompted by ruminating on our problems. It gives us time for others. It sets aside money that can be spent on those in need. It reduces the anxiety prompted by ruminating on our problems.

But simplifying – the process of getting rid of unwanted things, demands on our time, unhelpful thoughts – can be hard to do and can force difficult decisions. What do I toss? What will I miss out on?

Beyond that, at some point, can’t the pursuit of simplicity become just one more attempt at control?

A conversation with a group of friends this week illustrated to me the ways we attempt to control what’s going on in and around us. With the chaos and insecurity of our national circumstances – COVID-19 overwhelming hospitals, an angry mob storming the Capitol, each of us entrenched in her own point of view — it is no wonder we feel the need for control.

So how do we simplify simply?

When life is uncertain, we are more likely to feel powerless. That can provoke anxiety or the hopelessness that leads to depression. So, we fight to control external events. I make lists and clean drawers. These are a couple of the weird ways I can feel more in control of my life. Other coping mechanisms can be less innocent. 

We may eat as a way to exert control over our emotions, our frustrations. If nothing else, I can at least feed myself!! I can soothe myself, provide some comfort.  Of course, eating our emotions can lead to all kinds of other problems.

We may stay overly busy as a way to maintain control over how others regard us.  I am productive! I devote my time to help others, therefore, I am valuable. I am worthy. This can even extend to volunteering for as many Christian ministries as possible. In addition to being a misdirected way to prove our value, it also may be an unhealthy way to avoid uncomfortable emotions.

I am sure there are many other ways we try to maintain control. So how do we simplify simply?

Isn’t peace what we are really looking for when we seek a simple life? 

Let me suggest something you might not expect: Gratitude. Gratitude shifts your attention to the things in your day, in your life that are most important. A picnic at the beach was what I was most grateful for this past week. After days and days of staying safely at home, we needed a new view and some fresh air. 

It was a lovely day on the coast. The sound of waves on the sand, the soft breeze, the conversation was more valuable than anything I owned or that I had on my calendar. Love, joy, relationships. These are gifts that God gives generously, but we don’t always slow down long enough to appreciate them, let alone thank him. 

An additional benefit of gratitude is peace. We achieve it by fixing our attention on God, “choosing thankful prayer over wallowing in anxiety and worry,” says author Priscilla Shirer.

And isn’t peace what we are really looking for when we seek a simple life? 
So, let’s grab hold of gratitude instead of grasping for control.
Happy New Year!