In a world driven by acquisition and success, the idea of less can seem countercultural.
How can less be more? Isn't outward show a sign of inward achievement too?
Maybe, or maybe not. Our souls may desire signs of 'success' but those outward signs don't necessarily reveal true fulfilment or our state before the Lord.
Because our inner life tends to thrive on Being More as we rest in God, and stressing less about Doing More in order to be seen, lauded and applauded.
A pared down life can lead to rich abundance.
When we press pause on busyness (physical and/or mental), we create more space for God to fill with His presence.
When we step away from noise, embrace solitude and stillness for a while, there is more room to listen to God's voice.
In this season I'm in of pulling back from many good things in order to focus on God's best for me, I've seen how easy it is to feel isolated, lost and lonely from less social engagement.
It's sadly apparent how much my soul still craves recognition, validation of my existence and reward for my labours.
Our souls feed on approval and feel starved of attention if left out of life's flow for too long.
Early life conditioned me to seek those things at the expense of my health and sanity.
When mental health breakdown caused me to lose all sense of self, to feel splintered and fractured beyond recognition - if not beyond repair - then those deep, unsatisfied-by-the-world needs became overwhelming.
They remained that way for many years, even though I was unaware of it.
So I'm a slow learner in being still, being less visible to the world in order to be more visible to God.
These last few months have been really challenging health-wise and soul-wise, but they have also been rich with deeper meaning and understanding.
Less social media engagement and interaction has meant:
- More time in prayer
- More receptivity to God's voice
- More freedom to explore other areas of creativity
- More awareness of who I am In Christ
- More contemplation and listening
- More seeing with spiritual lenses than worldly ones
- More growth in dark places
- More empathy for all who struggle
- More time for family and friends
- More discernment to make wiser choices
- More peace and inner calm
- More rest inwardly and outwardly
- Less susceptibility to stress
- Less striving
- Less worrying in general
- Less concern about being being seen and heard
- Less agitation in being still and quiet
- Less attachment to things and possessions
It's possible you may want to pursue a more minimalistic lifestyle as Joshua Becker speaks about here. Living with less can have knock-on spiritual benefits too.
Although I've slowed down in many ways, I'm still being inspired, still writing and sharing my words as God indicates, still trying to encourage others on the pathway of writing, life and faith.
Inspiration can be inexplicable, can't it? Words sing into our ears from various sources.
When I read more of those things which feed my soul rather than what is clamouring to be heard, then I sense God guiding and speaking to me as I receive more deeply.
Those words dance in my soul, resonate in my spirit, fire my imagination and inspire my thinking. Maybe you can relate?
Because when we sit with silence it speaks volumes, ushers us deeper into God's presence and prepares our hearts to receive from Him.
And that's a place of greater peace, openness and availability from which we can go out more willing and able to serve the needs of others.
Over to you:
Have you seen more fruit coming from doing less for a while?
What does 'Being More' look like for you?
Please feel free to share in the comments below. Your words matter.
