Simplicity in Christ

Written and Media by Kristyn Ewing.

We all look back at chapters of our lives and find times of stress, irritation, separation, and fear. These are the times to put Christ at the center of our trials and tribulations. Psalm 62:6 elaborates,

He only is my rock and salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.

If we trust God during the difficult times, He will become our source of strength and encouragement. We also gain courage, friendship, and growth through his mercy, love compassion, grace, blessings, and so much more. We can build onto this sturdy foundation if we walk with Him daily. Although, sometimes this walk becomes halted when we are too concerned with others’ righteousness and the world’s salvation. We find ourselves questioning God’s motives and life becomes difficult and complex. We put ourselves in danger of changing our spirituality into mere works.

It’s our human nature that pushes Christ off to the side. We can become unfeeling, selfish, personally ambitious, and/or depressed and latch onto the perishable things of the present. However, there is nothing we need more than Jesus. Invest in Him. Christ is always found in the present and He is always active. Romans 3:22-24,

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

When trials and strong emotions arise, take a step back and let the Holy Spirit guide you. It will tell what you should or shouldn’t do in the midst of chaos and confusion. The truth is always revealed in His perfect timing, you just have to listen for it. So, open your Bible and take in the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Only you can decide what you’ll do with the truth. You can either quit or face your trials head on and continue the race marked out for you with God’s strength.

If you’ve already given up, don’t be discouraged. Christ is still by your side and He is waiting for you to run into His arms. There is freedom awaiting you, as 2 Corinthians 3:17 states,

Now the Lord is the Sprit, and where the Sprit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Look through the eyes of a child and be reminded of the freedom we have in God. Sometimes there are simple answers to very complex questions. Let’s get back to the basics of our faith.

Rend Collective comments on living a simple life:

Simplicity is the art of restoring a clear and unobstructed view of the things that really matter. It’s about unplugging from the complexity of life and saving ourselves into the wild. We need to become like children again, just simply trusting and worship our God to become before Him authentically.”

Matthew 18:1-4 elaborates on having faith like a child,

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them and he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

This passage talks about change and the importance of having childlike faith. We have to turn away from our worldly ambitions and humble ourselves before God. When we ask God into our hearts, the only thing we have to lose is our sin. Besides, there is so much more to gain in His Kingdom of Heaven.

We’ve all had moments where we reverted back to our old ways, and that’s okay. Just remember to put Christ back where He belongs, at the center. He’ll never leave or forsake you.

Shout out to The Simple Room for helping with the video above!

The Simple Room is a Christian after-school organization providing meaningful programs for the youth of Greenville, IL. They invest in a new generation by teaching students to live SIMPLE lives.