Day 7: The Secret of Simplicity

What comes first in your life? I joke about coffee, but anyone witnessing the liturgy of my day would quickly see that coffee is no laughing matter.

Turn That 'No Thanks' to a Holy 'Yes'

I began my uncluttered experiment not by setting new goals and priorities but by trying to order my life around the words “can’t” and “shouldn’t” and “no” and “less.” Now, no can be a helpful world, to be sure, and I definitely needed to learn how to say it. But it turns out you can’t have a theology of no. 

Midway through my uncluttering journey, God wanted to teach me this yes. His yes. What would it look like to invite Him—the One who made me, the One who loves me—to order my life? To set my priorities? What would happen if I put Him first and let Him sort out the rest?

The Antidote to Worry  

When we put God first, giving Him control, we don’t give Him anything He doesn’t already have. But it is in giving up to God what is always and already His that we begin to be transformed.

Reflection/Discussion Questions  

1. In the early mornings for Courtney's house, it used to be coffee first! What is first in your day? How does this initial priority help orient the rest of your hours?
2. “Anything that comes before God in our lives, anything we place on par with Him, anything that threatens our allegiance, bends our will, or weakens our love for God and neighbor threatens not just our space and our schedule but our very souls.” How is your soul endangered when you don’t put God first? What are three things you are tempted to put before Him in your life?
3. It is difficult to make a thousand small decisions without one overarching principle to guide them all. For Courtney and her family, this principle is “God first.” What is a decision—big or small—you’re facing today? How might the principle of “God first” help you make that decision?
4. Read Matthew 6:25–27. How does putting God first help us put worry in its place? In what areas are your priorities aligned with God’s? In what areas might they be out of sync?
5. Do you attend weekly worship? Why or why not? If you do attend, how does weekly worship help you keep God first? If not, what keeps you from regular worship? How might God be inviting you into a “God first” rhythm in this season?
6. What is one area of your life where God is not first? What is one concrete step you can take this week to invite God into that area and make a change?