By Joyce Meyer , Christian Post Guest Columnist
Do you
ever feel like life is complicated?
It's talking to God without trying to impress Him with
eloquent speech that isn't really from your heart. We need to pray simple
prayers about everything so we won't stress out about anything. And we need to
pray our way through the day, seeking God's help and asking Him to be involved
in whatever we're doing.
As I've prayed about how to simplify my life, God has
revealed several ways to approach life that have made a big difference for me.
One of them is praying for discernment about what I need to deal with and what
I need to leave alone.
Another approach I've learned to take is clearing out the
clutter. I believe one reason people get frustrated and overwhelmed is because
they have piles of stuff everywhere they look. And our surroundings affect us
more than we realize.
It's not supposed to be complicated. Jesus gave His life so
we could have joy, not complicated and frustrated lives. And complication
steals joy and creates frustration.
I have a lot going on, and it can become complicated if I
let it. We have hundreds of employees and travel around the world…I have books
to write and speaking engagements… It's hard sometimes to enjoy it all.
Life is probably not going to change, but I've learned that
I can change my approach to it. And I'm determined to enjoy my life and not be
frustrated all the time.
Simplicity is a key to avoiding complication. Part of the
definition of simplicity is "not complex or complicated; sincere."
Sincere
Prayer Is Simple Prayer
Proverbs 3:5,6 (NKJV) says, "Trust in the Lord with
all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
I Had
to Change My Approach
Before I learned this, I was a first-class nag. I had to
know everything that was going on, and I usually had to give my opinion about
it all. For example, if my kids were doing something and I didn't like how they
were doing it, I had to "correct" them, even if it was something that
didn't really matter. And if Dave was on the phone in another room, I wanted to
go in there to hear what he was talking about.
I remember a time years ago when Dave and I had meetings at
our house with our secretary. I had my meeting first and when we were done,
Dave wasn't ready to meet with her yet. So I left the room to go take a bath,
but I really wanted to hang around and hear what they talked about.
When I got in the bathtub, I heard their voices through the
floor vent but couldn't make out what they were saying. Well, curiosity got the
best of me, and I actually got out of the tub and on the floor by that vent,
trying to hear what was going on. It was ridiculous!
Thank God I've learned how to determine what I really need
to deal with and how to let the rest go. My life is so much better! Now I give
God the chance to deal with things and then tell me if I need to do anything.
Because the truth is, I don't have to be involved in everything that's going
on.
Getting
Clutter Out of the Way
Some people have a hard time getting rid of stuff. If
that's you, pray for God to give you the courage to get rid of things you don't
really need or things He wants you to give away. This will help keep your
surroundings organized and clutter free.
If you're struggling with a complicated, frustrating life,
change your approach. Pray about it. As you trust God and acknowledge Him in
all your ways, He will show you just what to do.
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