Discover Simple
I have a confession: Sometimes I am deeply drawn toward concepts and ideals that I struggle to discover how to incorporate into my life.
Simplicity is one such ideal. I am so incredibly drawn to it, but what does it mean for me?
Oswald Chambers says, “Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly.”
Wow - if simplicity holds the secret to seeing clearly, then I really want it!
Chambers goes on to say, “When the natural power of vision is devoted to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the power of perceiving God’s will, and the whole life is kept in simplicity.”
What does this look like?
How does this play out?
How do I live this?
To even ask these questions implies reasoning and intellect and will; it implies logical and systematic ways of thinking. Although there is nothing wrong with such ways of thinking and discovering, it is not what I am drawn to and sense that I need in this time of my life. My spirit is being held together by the great Spirit of peace and mystery during this ongoing time of continuing to learn and unlearn, and learn and be, be, be enough. Be me.
“When the natural power of vision is devoted to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the power of perceiving God’s will, and the whole life is kept in simplicity.”
Naturally. Natural power of vision devoted to the spirit. Not reason with or against, not the power of will, but simply to see.
See the sunset and see the rain. See people as they are. See life. See beauty. See art. See the interconnectedness of all things. Perhaps to see through malarkey that introduces or reintroduces doubt and fear and cynicism and disunity.
Do you naturally see through a wide lens of love and compassion? I want to to see through a lens where there is space for the unknown and the uncertain, and for the questions and the mystery. I want to live in the simplicity of the lens where not having all the answers is peaceful and beautiful.
What I am discovering is that in the absolute upside down way of things, the more I come face to face and heart to heart and soul to soul with the utter complexity of being human, and living in brokenness, the wider my lens becomes to see a vision of simplicity. There have been times when I have trusted God with complete sincerity and uninhibited faith. On the surface, there have been times when it has appeared that God failed me and my faith went unnoticed. This could be reason for my faith to falter. However, somehow this opens the door to a wider lens of simplicity and the great mystery of God. The thing is, my faith, as deep and sincere as it is, is not the point. It will be always be too small to grasp the vastness of Creation. God is bigger than my most heartfelt prayers and sincere search for truth.
Perhaps I can release myself to simply be, and live in the great interconnectedness of Creation. I might as well stop striving and simply Be.
What about you? Can you stop striving and simply Be?
“Have you become so foolish enough to believe that a journey begun in the power of the Spirit could be finished by weak human strength?” Galatians 3:3 (FNT)