My word (or one of them!) for 2016 is simplicity. If you’ve read anything of mine recently, you probably already know that. I’m kind of obsessed with this idea of simplifying life.

I’m moving this weekend, so I’ve been donating to Goodwill like it’s my job. Our trash can is overflowing, and it is a good feeling.
Somewhere within me, though, I know that no matter how much physical stuff I get rid of, I’m not going to be satisfied. It is a deeper longing, a soul hope, that is drawing me to simplicity.

So I’ve been asking the Lord, what does it look like to bring simplicity into my life?

The first thing He has invited me to consider is what it would look like to simplify my thought life. I’d like to invite you to think about this too. 🙂

Let’s enter into the room of my brain. I think if we open the door, a million emotions will flood into the hallway, but we’ve got to get inside somehow. Maybe let’s pull a Mark 2:4 and come in through the roof. It looks a lot like my desk in here, piles of “organized chaos” all over the place. There’s the stack of memories still to be processed, conversations with boys stuffed into a dark corner, and the list of dreams is trying to escape out of the file folder I’ve locked it in. It is a rollercoaster of emotions, and every once in a while there is a tidal wave of anxiety that comes out of nowhere. Welcome to my mind.

What would it look like to simplify this place? First of all, we need to purge it of all the false narratives and lies that we’ve accumulated over the years.

You’re insignificant. You’re not as pretty when you’re mad. Your dreams don’t matter. Your voice is worthless.

What about you, what lies are you storing away for no good reason? Are they impacting the way you live?

What lies are you storing away for no good reason?

If I keep believing that I am insignificant and my voice is worthless, not only will my brain be overloaded with thoughts and words that no one else gets to hear, but I’ll limit the work God wants to do in and through me. We cannot live in these lies. They have this sneaky way of leaving the brain and permeating the soul. Then they really stick.

Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

It always comes back to this place. We cannot hold onto the lies that the devil whispers to us. He likes to do a fly-by and just drop a false-narrative bomb into our hearts and minds and we need to be on guard. We need to reject the lie the minute it comes.
How do we know if it’s a lie?

Hold it up to the light of God’s Word – that’s a tried and true test of what is counterfeit. If something is being spoken to you that contradicts Scripture, you can be for-darn sure that is not the Lord’s voice. He doesn’t play mind games like that. Satan does.

For example,  to the lies –

I am insignificant, Scripture responds with, “You are precious in my sight, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4)

Your dreams don’t matter. Jesus says, “Delight yourself in me, and I will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

Your voice is worthless.  Scripture tells us, “A gentle tongue is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 15:4)

Hold each thought up to the light and decide if it stays or goes. Don’t be defined by the lies of the devil. Those just create more clutter, because they lead to more and more lies. Truth is simple, but powerful. Create space for God to speak truth over you today.

This is step one towards a simplified thought life. I pray that you would know the difference between the truth of God’s voice and the lies of the enemy. For what it’s worth, I think you are beautiful, smart, worthy, loved, brave, capable, and amazing. And that is the truth, my friends. Love you all.