Our culture often tells us that we need more things. 

You need the new gadget. You need the new trend. You need the new piece of junk. 

We are taught this through advertisements each day. Everyone who owns a smartphone is being fed these lies.

However, I have the deep conviction that true satisfaction comes when we find enjoyment in less. 

This is why little children throw their toys aside on Christmas morning to play with the large boxes they came in. At our core, there is a deep longing within us for the simple things. We don’t actually need the newest fad to be satisfied. 

Jesus, the great teacher of life, lives in alignment with this philosophy Himself. When he sends out his disciples, he commands a commitment to minimalism. Luke 9:1-3 (ESV) tells us: 

“And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics…’” 

He sends the disciples with great power. They were equipped with the power to cast out demonic forces and cure diseases. This is incredible! Then He gives an interesting command… to leave their physical possessions behind. I believe this was an incredibly intentional lesson that the Great Rabbi was teaching His apprentices: 

sustaining power does not come from our possessions. 

We often believe the lie that it does. We often believe the lie that we become more powerful through our possessions. The new clothes will change the way we are perceived by our peers. The new piece of technology will make our work more productive. The new house will finally bring peace to our lives. While all these things are not inherently bad, they can be spiritually destructive when they become idols. This truth is incredibly important today. We are fools if we think the idol of materialism is not prevalent in our day. It is all around us. 

Consider the things you have purchased in the past year. Why did you buy them? Did you purchase anything that you did not truly need? I am not saying that God never intends for you to have nice things. However, when the things we desire sit on the throne of our heart we have a big issue. 

Ultimately, many of us need to declutter. We own way too much. In the decluttering there is a discovering of what really matters. When we declutter our lives from the abundance of unneeded things, we are able to enjoy the beautiful gifts God has given to us. This is the spiritual discipline of simplicity. 

In his book titled “Celebration of Discipline” Richard Foster discusses various spiritual practices for the Christian lifestyle. He devotes a whole chapter to the discipline of simplicity. In this chapter he states, 

“the inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions”. 

This is what we need today. Possessions are not inherently evil, yet Satan loves to use them to distract us. When we declutter, we are able to focus on the one thing that matters: seeking first the Kingdom. 

This is the goal of simplicity. It is not to have less things. It is to experience more of the Kingdom. I recommend that every faithful follower of Christ should examine their attachments to their possessions. Does anything distract you from seeking first the Kingdom? If so, passionately eliminate it from your life. Discover His nearness through the discipline of simplicity. Follow His teaching. There is more in less.

Here are a few recommendations for implementing the practice of simplicity. These are adapted from and discussed more deeply in “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard Foster:

1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.

2. Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.

3. Develop a habit of giving things away.

4. Refuse to buy the “new gadget”.

5. Learn to enjoy things without owning them.

6. Develop a deeper appreciation for creation.

7. Pay off debt or downgrade to something that doesn’t require a loan.

8. Practice plain and honest speech. Talk only when needed & practice integrity.

9. Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.

10. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the Kingdom of God.