The Simple Life - Pt. 4

[Jesus said] “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-29; 34 ESV).

 

The third step in living the simple life is to live in the present. Nostalgia can be a pleasant activity as we look over the past; however, it all too often degenerates into regret and remorse, or worse, it leads to a fear of the future. We must stay rooted in the present with an unwavering hope in the future. This creates balance in our life. More and more people are finding that they are going through the motions of life, moving from task to task, checking things off their to-do list, rehashing their past mistakes, and focusing on their future goals and plans; however, they are not truly living in the moment. Being present, in the moment, is the only way to enjoy life to the fullest.

 

Perhaps the best way to be present tense in our lives is to find your “cathedral.” What I mean is that you find that place where you know you always find God. This is usually not the place where you gather with your community of faith. I am not saying that God is not there, He is. However, it’s usually too “noisy” to really hear from God. The interruptions and distractions are far too numerous to hear God’s “still voice” in those settings. For me it’s sitting on the deck simply watching the sun set across the western horizon. When I get to my cathedral I do three things. First, I quiet my mind. I might do this with soft instrumental music, or simply in the solitude of the moment. The latter usually works best. Second, I listen to God speak through His creation. It might be the birds chirping in their nest, or the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees. If you listen, you will hear the sounds of creation. Third, I wait as the Holy Spirit associates the experience with a Scripture. He never fails to speak to me with just the right words for the moment of my life. It forces me to become very present tense as all the regrets of the past and fears of the future melt away in His presence. Try it today. Practice it every day.