Men's Rosary

Do you have a junk drawer?  Do you store stuff in your attic or basement?  Do you have a shed that was supposed to protect tools and equipment, so full of stuff it is hard to find the tools?  We probably all do to some extent.  The excess of stuff is consuming and unhealthy.   The more we have, the more we have to keep track of.  Sometimes it is not worth the trouble to have the stuff.  But we just do not seem to cut loose of it.  So, time we could spend relaxing or enjoying life is taken up by tending to things we do not even need.  Crazy?  I think so!  The dangerous thing is that we tend to let this creep into our spiritual life.

A simple life is a more spiritual life.  Detaching from things will bring about a contentment and stillness.  “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it”  (Proverbs 15:16)  As things build up around us and require more of our attention, less attention is given to God and things of heaven.  We become consumed by the things, even the good things.  Everything must be in right proportion.  It is important to take inventory of what is consuming our time and thoughts and eliminate what is not really needed.  There is only so much time and mental capacity in the day.  We must have some for God and it should not be just what is left over.  He deserves quality time.  What has most of our attention, or heart?  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:21)

Simplification of life will allow for more quietness.  It will allow for more peace and stillness.  It is in the quiet and stillness that we encounter God.  All the stuff that grabs at our time and attention, including that cell phone and social media, promotes anxiety, noise and confusion.  It will keep us wasting time until we are ragged, leaving no time for anyone or anything, let alone time for sitting with God. “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.”  (Ecclesiastes 4:6)  What can we do without or with less of so we can have more time with God?

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“Jesus help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be and becoming that person.”  (St. Therese of Lisieux)