Clarifying

As I sit here this first morning of the New Year, reflecting on 2019 and considering my hopes for 2020, one theme continues to surface: simplify. This is a concept God brings around in my life regularly; about every 2-4 years when my family gets new military orders and we pack up our home, say goodbye to our friends and move to a new place. Simplifying is a process of shedding things we no longer need or use, streamlining how we spend our time, learning how to say “no” so our calendar doesn’t get too full and maintaining perspective on the goals and values we hold dear. Simplifying is a clarifying process for our lives.

In The Uncrowned King, Harold Bell Wright, a pastor turned writer, penned these words…

Eyes blinded by the fog of things
cannot see truth.
Ears deafened by the din of things
cannot hear truth.
Brains bewildered by the whirl of things
cannot think truth.
Hearts deadened by the weight of things
cannot feel truth.
Throats choked by the dust of things
cannot speak truth.

I cannot accurately express just how much this clarifies things for me. I, like many of you, have found myself caught up in the din, fog, whirl, weight and dust of things- specifically, the virtual lives and comparisons and pressures of social media. Blogging, Instagram, Facebook and the rest weigh me down and fill my mind to the point of anxiety. It weakens my focus on my personal goals and values, takes me away from being present with my family, and leaves me feeling like I’m always working to improve my presence in a virtual world.

That isn’t how I want to live.

So this year, I’m simplifying. You won’t hear as much from me this year. It may not be a good “business model”, but I’m stepping away from attempts at self-promotion. The things I write here will be timely, when God clearly pushes me to do it, not out of a sense of obligation to the internet. Y’all don’t need me to live rightly.

Maybe this is a good time for you to simplify, too. Unfollow people, spend less time scrolling through Instagram or other social media platforms. Clear the air of your mind so that you can hear, see, think and feel the Truth, without the barrage of opinions from others.

May 2020 be a clarifying, simplifying, refreshing year for us all.