Seeking Simplicity: Trusting God for All We Need
Therefore I tell you: Donāt worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isnāt life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They donāt sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Arenāt you worth more than they?…āyou of little faith? So donāt worry, saying, āWhat will we eat?ā or āWhat will we drink?ā or āWhat will we wear?ā For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Matthew 6:25-26, 30-33, CSB
Authentic trust in God frees us from anxiety. We tend to worry and hurry about everything as if the outcome depends on us rather than His grace. But Jesus reminds us to seek His Kingdom first, assuring us that every need will be provided. Itās as simple as that.
Lately, Iāve been craving simplicity, a way of life marked by a slower pace and enjoyment of ordinary pleasures. In a consumeristic culture, where even time is a commodity, the discipline of simplicity feels like swimming upstream. However, Iām learning that simplicity means freedom from anxiety. Itās not merely a lifestyle choice; it is the outward expression of an inner trust in the Lord for every need.
Three inner attitudes characterize freedom from anxiety: āIf what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity.ā1
Every provision comes from the Lord. It is not the product of our efforts. Yes, we work, but all is grace. It is the gift of God. So, if God cares for the birds of the air, whose Father He is not, how much more will He care for us, whose Father He is?2 And if we genuinely believe this, we can live more simply, free from the fear of what others think, the bondage of materialism, and the exhaustion of burnout. We will generously open our hands to others instead of clutching our pearls in dread of scarcity. Our loyalty will no longer be divided between the cares of life and the Kingdom of God. With single-hearted devotion, our trust will rest solely in the Lord and His provision.
Itās no surprise, then, that trust in the Lord is associated with rest.
Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30, CSB
Ultimately, Jesus is our Sabbath rest.3 This doesnāt mean we cease working, but rather, we cease worrying. We hope in the Lord, who graciously provides all things for those who trust Him. And as we embrace this truth, he perfects this trust within us. When we seek His Kingdom above all elseāHis way of being and living righteouslyālife becomes simpler and more satisfying.4 Our perfectly loving Heavenly Father knows our needs, and He is faithful. Trust Him and enter His rest, free from the crushing burdens of anxiety.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
What are the things you tend to worry about most and why?
Spend time with the Lord in confession and prayer about them. Listen for the Holy Spiritās response.
What steps do you believe the Lord is prompting you to take in simplifying your life as an act of trust in Him?
PRAYER:
Lord, I confess my worries to you.Ā I realize they expose a lack of trust.Ā Please forgive me, search my heart, and cleanse me of divided loyalties. Please reorder the desires of my heart to seek your Kingdom first, trusting you for all my needs. Ā Help me notice the areas I need to surrender. Ā In everything I do, please guide me by Your Spirit.Ā Let my work and actions be an act of faith rather than a response to hidden fears.Ā Reveal my true motivations so I can let go of anxiety and fully enter your rest.
- Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2008), 108. ā©ļø
- I heard this statement in a video somewhere with author and pastor Paul Tripp. It has stuck with me ever since, illuminating Mt. 6:25-33 in a new, comforting way. ā©ļø
- See Hebrews 4. ā©ļø
- Simple does not mean easy.Ā Our effort is still required but no longer complicated by the undo weight of anxiety or the bondage of idolatry (divided loyalties). ā©ļø
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I tend to worry most about my husband’s viewpoints and choices in life because they affect me and my family. I have suffered greatly, but I have also seen the Lord do an incredible work in his life. Thank you for the reminder that I can trust God with this. His Spirit is always working, and He will work everything together for my good.
Thank you for sharing this, Stephanie. I pray God continues to transform your husband into the man of God He desires him to be and to help you rest in the Lord as you trust Him. With each new circumstance, I have to remind myself to trust and hope in God for He is rather than in outcomes. But as you say, His plans are for our good. He is perfectly loving, completely sovereign, and infinitely wise.