Spirituality and Mysticism: Simply Living

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Simply Living

When we are moving into a new home it is always amazing how much 'stuff' we have accumulated over the years and most of it unnecessary clutter. As we begin to pack up our belongings we also begin to purge our unnecessary extravagances, and rid ourselves of this mess, in order to begin afresh.

This can also apply to our inner lives, at times it is necessary to de-clutter our souls and find out what has been beneficial to us and what has caused undo problems. This seems to be a simple equation but it's very simplicity is complex, for in order to de-clutter our souls we also must purge ourselves of the 'things' that have drawn us away from God. This takes discipline, where we must understand what has been helpful to us and what has caused a distraction, and to rid ourselves of the distractions that have taken the place where God should be.

God should never be an after-thought He should be our entire thought, does obeying God's Will come first or our own comforts? Until we understand and grasp this important point we will not be able to de-clutter our souls from the spiritual debris we have accumulated over the years.

To live simplified lives does not mean we must live in poverty or become long-faced humourless people. It simply means defining what will bring you closer to understanding God's Will and then implementing it in your daily lives. Much of our clutter lay in our inability to see what brings us true happiness and what is false happiness. We tell the difference once we realise that Gods happiness is a lasting condition whereas false happiness lasts a moment and is gone and we are left wounded and insecure.

Life at times can be hectic but this very busyness should not be a permanent condition, for if one is continuously 'busy' what and whom are you running from? How many times do many of us put off prayer till we are in a 'better mood'? Or do we make excuses such as 'I am way to busy for prayer'? If we wish to live happy and fulfilled lives then prayer is not an option it is a MUST!

In order to properly de-clutter our inner lives we must ask in whom are we trying to impress, ourselves, our friends or God? Unlike people God is not interested in the opinion of others, He is interested in you alone, are you as interested with God? If you need to find out then ask yourself this simple question how much time do you give God throughout your day, or is it a case of no time for God?

Another leveler is how easy it is to become upset over trifles, we lose our temper, our blood pressure rises as we worry over other peoples opinion of us, or fret over our future. Yet does not the Word of God say that we should not worry, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? ....If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?" Then why do we worry and fret or could it be that our wants and our needs have become confused when we begin to think that both are the same, when it is not.

Our loving God never makes us to busy for Him, that is our prerogative, we choose to be too busy for God. As St. Teresa of Avila reminds us, "Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All thing pass;God never changes Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices." The word patience is the key to our happiness, prayer takes time after all what relationship would last if one partner was totally silent while the other is left to talk to themselves? God does not refuse to listen to us in so much as we refuse to converse with Him, for a prayer that lists our wants rather than to seek after what God Wills for us, is a soul that is having a relationship with its own ego.

Our Heavenly Father also knows our constraints, it is difficult for the parents of new born babies or infants to find any time during their day for quiet prayer, what our loving God seeks from us is our attention. We can give to God no matter the activity we are immersed in our thoughts in a continuous prayerful attitude. We also need to take a reality check for is every hour of our day busy or do we make time for our favourite TV programmes or spend time on the internet, or immerse ourselves in the latest scandal sheet or book?

There must be structure to our lives if we truly wish to simplify our lifestyles, this takes organization and discernment of what is truly important to us. Can we truly benefit our children or our spouses if we are overstressed and unappreciated? There comes a time when we need to give up the unnecessary luxuries and gadgets that few have time to enjoy. How best is your time spent worrying over luxury items you cannot afford or realizing that this gadget or item is not going to bring you permanent happiness or peace?

In our race to acquire the best, we enter into a vicious cycle for who defines what is best? Who are the dictators of consumerism, the product or yourselves?

We need to remember that God does not require us to be wearing designer labels or that we drive the best car or to be a perfect size 6.

In the end God longs for you....who do you long for?