Simplicity

Last week, I heard a presentation by marketing genius, Seth Godin, at High Point University. The entire keynote was exciting, motivating, and encouraging for young entrepreneurs.

He stated something halfway through his presentation that was one of the most profound moments of his entire speech. In response to a question by our president, Dr. Qubein, he stated that a success to staying fit and maintaining health is eating simply so that you may live fully.   

Eat simple, live full.

Live simply, live fully.

When we remember to live our lives in simplicity, we avoid distraction and stay the course. For the Christian faith, it is essential to remember our purpose every single day. Our purpose on earth is simple-love God, and love others because you love God.   If that is our intention every single day, our lives actually become more full. When we live in the groove for which we were created, we thrive. 

I find it so interesting how we try and color outside of the lines hoping to "experiment", or find out more about ourselves.  In reality, we achieve the most then we realize what we were made for, and stay in that reality.   

John 5:30 

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Let us re-focus on what we were made for, and eliminate the things in our lives that take us our of the groove. 

 Trains cannot run apart from the specific grove in their tracks. The same is true for us. We cannot run or reach our destination unless we fit to the mold of which we were created.  And God does not make us identical-do not fear not being unique!  Your uniqueness will be found in Him, simply living for and with Him, and thriving in that creation.  

Live simply-Live in Him- and Live fully in the way He directs.     

2 Corinthians 1:12

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, and supremely so toward you.

Waste

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

-2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Posting Bible verses as a facebook status, or a tweet brings mixed responses. Some may be offended. Others, may try to make the status "light" and remove any serious-ness of the words. And some, benefit from the encouraging words that are posted. I pray many of you are the latter. 

I posted the above verse as a facebook status, and was awaiting any comments. I received two. One stated, "Alexa! I just read that passage this morning!".  I thought, "awesome...The Lord is building her up through the Gospel."  Then, I saw another comment posted by a family friend. The words said, "Well, I think my outer-self is just fine thank you very much.." The words caught me off-guard, yet I believe this reveals a fascinating component to the human life on earth. 

Paul wrote these inspired words of God while in prison. He also wrote these words as he was aging. His outer self, his physical body, was falling apart. He was slowly dying to the outside world. Yet, He was beginning to truly live in Christ. 

This brings up something mind-blowing. First, the world does not have to inhibit spiritual growth or moral transformation. Temptations will be there, yet growth in Christ can continue with or without the allowance of the world. Second, it is never too late to grow in Christ. We do not know how long we will be on this earth, but God never stops working within us until the day we depart for Heaven. 

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

-Phillipians 1:6

Paul also understood that sometimes it isn't until we realize the calamity and depravity of this earth can we begin to imagine the perfection and glory of heaven. Until we are on our deathbed, or witness a tragedy within our family, we cannot comprehend the complete beauty of Heaven. Maybe this is part of the reason those that are elderly begin to have a sage character, and guide us during our spiritual journey. They have lived enough life to understand that the world cannot fulfill them. 

Paul was undergoing what he considered "light momentary affliction." Wait..what?! Paul was experiencing living hell on Earth. Yet he understood that any corruption and destruction the earth brought him, could not distract him from the end all reality of meeting his savior. 

Our outer self is wasting away every single day. And let us thank God for it.  Physical suffering allows us to be strengthened in the spirit. Suffering does not bring us a benefit, but once it is seen in contrast to the beaming light of God, and Heaven's glorious light, the dark world becomes something we want no part of. 

 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

-2 Corinthians 5:1-5