Five Years of Finding Simplicity: Choosing God’s Wisdom Over My Own

This month marks five years since I officially became an author. After years of writing and editing, my first book, Finding Simplicity, was launched into the world. Of course, March 2020 is better known for lockdowns and a worldwide pandemic—certainly not the plans I had in mind! As frustrated as I was about my book’s stuttering launch into the world, I quickly realized that regardless of whether anyone else read the words I had written, God would use those very lessons to teach me and sustain me during these uncertain and difficult times. 

Fast forward five years, and I am still learning to apply these truths found in the book of James. Every day, I make choices to either make my life more complicated or choose simplicity. I either do things my own way or I choose God’s way. One of the biggest areas I am continuing to grow in is distinguishing between my own wisdom and God’s wisdom. I am learning (again) that it is very easy to convince myself I am doing things with pure motives, when in fact I am not. Spiritual-sounding words and actions do not always equal true godliness. 

In his book Hearing God, A. W. Tozer says it this way: “The doleful reality is that very few human beings really do concretely desire to hear what God has to say to them. This is shown by how rarely we listen for his voice when we are not in trouble or when we are not being faced with a decision that we do not know how to handle. People who understand and warmly desire to hear God’s voice will, by contrast, want to hear it when life is uneventful just as much as when they are facing trouble or big decisions.”

As I continue on this journey of learning to hear God’s voice, I keep coming back to practical advice found in James 3:

[Excerpt from Finding Simplicity]

James gives two signs to help us recognize when we are falling into false wisdom. The first element to check for is bitter jealousy. Is the basis for my thinking found in my comparing myself to others or a desire to prove myself?

Do I respond with harshness toward people? Do I experience a feeling of lack because of what others have? Anytime our decision stems from a desire to be like someone else or to gain what others have, we are heading toward destruction. The second element is selfish ambition. The word here for selfish ambition can also translate as strife. It is the desire to be at the top; to put yourself first; to have the place of honor or recognition. When we make decisions to elevate ourselves, we can be sure we are en route toward trouble.

James warns: “If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly, natural, and demonic.” (James 3:14-15) If bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are present, your thinking is not grounded in God. Rather, it is grounded in wisdom generating from the culture or society, in a personal agenda, or in thought; even worse, it is rooted in evil.

Most of us desire to make good choices and to live a full and happy life. We rarely knowingly choose harm or destruction. The problem is that it can be easy to deceive ourselves. We can become so confident we are correct that it never crosses our minds to question our directions. Recognizing you are wrong takes brutal honesty, not just with other people but also with yourself. Before making an important decision, we need to set aside time for self-evaluation, verifying we are not looking for just affirmation of the answer we wanted.

On more than one occasion, I have used this guide in James to pray through a decision, only to find God revealing a problem with my heart. On one occasion, I needed to decide whether or not to continue in leadership with a particular ministry. Although I felt God telling me to resign, I continued serving. As time passed, I noticed a deep, internal restlessness. Finally, I turned to God and measured my motives against the guidelines from James 3. In doing so, I realized I was holding onto this ministry for all the wrong reasons. I was jealous of friends who had more opportunities than I did, and I wanted both status and recognition. I was on a destructive course of serving myself instead of serving God.

This experience is just one of many times I have wandered the path of jealousy and selfishness. Although the occurrences have looked different, they have all led to the same end. Internal and external chaos has left me floundering without peace or purpose.

James explains it this way: “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” (3:16) When we experience restlessness and disorder, it is time for self-examination. A few critical questions to ask are as follows:

• Am I listening to wisdom’s voice or the call of folly?

• Am I seeking my desires over God’s direction?

•  Have I compromised truth in exchange for the world’s

advice?

• Have I dropped my guard and let evil slip in?

The answers will help us determine our motives and the current course of our lives.

Just as it is imperative to recognize when we are going the wrong direction, it is equally valuable to know when we are on the right path. James 3 continues to outline God’s wisdom: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18)

To ensure we are following God’s wisdom, we can apply these elements as a filter:

• Is my heart pure? Do I respect God and seek to reflect Him with my life? Are my thinking and actions clear and faultless?

• Am I walking in peace? Are my relationships without contention or strife? Am I directing people to God’s redemption by living peaceably with others?

• Is my behavior gentle? Do I point to God, instead of drawing attention to myself? Am I kind and tolerant toward people, or do I become impatient when I am waiting on God to work?

• Is my thinking reasonable? Do I listen instead of stubbornly holding to my own way? Does my thinking have order and reason? Can I explain how my decisions connect to God’s Word and plan?

• Am I relating to others in mercy? Am I kind to others and quick to help them? Do give second chances? Do I reflect God’s love and forgiveness in my everyday interactions?

• Does my life bring about good things? Are my time and energy devoted to things that matter? Am I positively impacting people by the things I do?

• Am I unwavering?Am I sound in my thinking, or do I waver back and forth? Do I have a clear and confident approach to decision making? Do I feel content with my current place and my future direction in life?

• Do my words match my actions? Am I honest? Is the person I claim to be who I genuinely am? If people followed me around, would I be comfortable, or would I be ashamed of what they would see?

When we can answer yes to all of these questions, we can walk confidently, knowing we are following the way of Jesus. If we base our thinking and behavior on God’s wisdom, our lives bear good fruit. Instead of reaping chaos and confusion caused by false knowledge, God’s wisdom yields peace and simplifies our inner world.

Even while writing this chapter, I have wrestled between God’s wisdom and following my own way. Sleep has escaped me, as I processed through a situation confronting me. Then, I remembered (again) that I am not the source of wisdom. God is. It is not for me to figure out all the details on my own. I needed to tap into the Source.

The book of Luke gives us a strategic picture of how Jesus made decisions. At the beginning of HIs public ministry, Jesus selected twelve disciples, who would learn from Him and serve alongside Him. The night before He chose these men, Jesus went off to a mountain alone and spent the entire night in prayer. Like our Savior, when making decisions, I need to spend time in God’s presence and in prayer, too.

So, this week, I decided to practice what I am writing. I set aside time to pray and to seek God. While my situation has not yet changed, I have. Noting selfishness creeping in, I turned my attention to God instead of myself and the things I wanted. While I was debating giving up or taking matters into my own hands, I was reminded of what true wisdom is. It is peaceable and pure, gentle and reasonable, and it bears good fruit. 

Today, instead of allowing the pressure of decision making to overwhelm and stress me, I am choosing to honor Jesus. In His presence, I feel the tension release and can rest in His wisdom.

What about you? Are you relying on your own strength or the flawed reasoning offered by the world? Or are you simplifying your life by looking to Jesus as your source of wisdom?