“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” –  Steve Jobs.

Simplifying your life means trying to eliminate those things that steal your time, cause stress, and block you from focusing on what is most important in your life. Typically, the more complicated your life is, the more you tend to be pulled in different directions. How can we simplify life and evaluate our priorities?

We know we need to simplify, but everything seems equally important, and we’re not sure what to let go of and what to keep. If we keep too much, we overextend ourselves. In Matthew 11:30, Jesus says, “For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Following Jesus may involve challenges, but His path is not burdensome because He is with you and provides support, making the load easier to bear. But it is hard to lay it all down and carry only the light burden and easy yoke Jesus talked about when we’ve already taken on more than we can carry.

In Luke 10:39-40, we read the story about Martha and Mary. Martha welcomed Jesus into her home, but then she got “distracted by the big dinner” while her sister Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he taught.”

Imagine for a moment that Jesus is speaking to each of us rather than Martha when He tells us, “You are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about….” (Luke 10:41-42). It is easy to get wrapped up in the details of life, and we are distracted from the one thing that helps us simplify life.

Only one thing is necessary: Jesus. When we make Jesus our number one priority, He’ll show us what to do and what to let go of. We’ll understand our priorities better when His Holy Spirit leads us. We may not be able to get through everything on our to-do list each day, but we can still focus on one of the most important things: Jesus. We can let go of what we couldn’t get done because we can trust Jesus was leading us.

When Jesus becomes our first concern, we can handle challenges with more grace. Jesus renews our peace, gives us wisdom for our next right thing, and enables us to navigate our priorities step by step.

Simplifying life begins with changing our priorities. This spiritual discipline takes time to implement and diligence to maintain. The reason for de-cluttering is the reward of freeing up time and mental space to pursue God in earnest.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does simplifying your life look like to you? What are some specific areas of your life where you could simplify? (Encourage personal reflection and identify areas for change.)
2. What are the benefits of simplifying your life, both practically and spiritually?

“This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” – Jeremiah 7:23.

Have you ever had your agenda collide with someone else’s agenda? As a teenager, has your agenda ever collided with your parents’ agenda for the weekend? You plan one thing, but they plan something else for you. As a spouse, has your agenda for the money ever collided with your spouse’s agenda for the money? At work, does your agenda clash with the agenda of others on how to move the business forward? Somewhere in some season, there will be a clash of agendas. Fortunately, these conflicting agendas can be worked out to everyone’s satisfaction with some compromise.

We have the choice every day to set our agendas, but have we stopped to consider what God wants us to do with our agenda? How often do we pray that God guides our steps and aligns our desires with His greater purpose? Do we pray that His agenda takes precedence over our plans and grants us the wisdom to discern His will in every situation? Are we willing to surrender our ambitions and embrace the path He laid out for us, even if it differs from what we imagined? We can only pick up God’s agenda when we choose to lay down our agenda.   

God is constantly revealing His agenda to you as you journey with Him. On life’s long path, you will experience many things. You will experience relationships (good and bad), successes and failures, blessings and trials, mountain tops and valleys. You will work, have friends, be offended, and offend others. You will make good, bad, and maybe even ugly decisions. As you travel through life, God will reveal some things to you along the way that will help you understand His agenda for your life and help you make adjustments to your life that will line you up more and more into the center of His will for your life.

There were many demands and expectations upon Jesus, but His focus was always to please the Father.  His agenda wasn’t built around pleasing Himself or others. He was about God’s agenda and not His own: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work” (John 4:34). Jesus says in John 5:19, “…I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” Jesus only did what the Father did, and so should we.

When we choose to lay our agenda for His agenda, we get to build His kingdom here on Earth. Our goal is to be like Jesus and leave room for His agenda. God is always on the move, even when we don’t see it (John 5:17). He has an agenda for busy and mundane days. All we have to do is choose His agenda over our own.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you need to add or take away from your agenda to pursue His agenda? 
2. What is the difference between seeking the “plans” God may have for us and simply seeking Him?
3. What could be done to ensure you seek God’s agenda this year?

“The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.” – Deuteronomy 7:22.

For most of us, growth and development is never happening fast enough. Whether it is our personal growth, someone else’s, or the growth of a group we’re a part of, it can be frustrating when it seems to be going slowly. Somehow, we always assume that the process should move along more quickly than it does. The frustration and discouragement grow when what you want to happen stalls ultimately. We want a breakthrough, a miracle, or for God to work quickly.

The reality is that God is not in a hurry. He doesn’t feel the same pressure we feel to get things done by our timetable. Unlike us, God seems to be perfectly at peace with allowing things to progress gradually and in increments.

When we think things are too slow, we must step back and remember that while accepting Jesus as your Savior took a few moments, our transformation to be more Christlike will take a lifetime. In other words, to become the person God intends for you to become and realize your potential in Jesus fully will involve a gradual process. Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Deuteronomy 7:22 explains God’s strategy for helping the Israelites take possession of the Promised Land. That phrase in verse 22 is key: “little by little.” How would God give them the Promised Land? Not all at once in “one fell swoop,” but “little by little.”  If the land were cleared too quickly, wild animals would multiply and create new problems for the Israelites. This gradual approach ensured that the Israelites could settle the land securely, managing it as they went rather than being overwhelmed by rapid changes. God’s plan involved defeating the enemies and maintaining the land’s stability and sustainability for His people. This reveals a spiritual principle: that God often works — not only in Israel but in our lives too — “little by little.”

Sometimes, God may act quickly, and we experience that breakthrough, and God moves quickly, but more often than not, He works little by little. The good news is that God’s timing is perfect. Even when it feels slow to us, He’s moving in ways we can’t see. Maybe you’re waiting for a breakthrough in your marriage, finances, health, or spiritual life. You might feel like you’ve been wandering in the wilderness like the Israelites for a while now. But know this—God is faithful and working on your behalf, even when you can’t see it. He’s shaping your story, refining your faith, and preparing you for something greater.

The Lord changes us a little at a time.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we learn to lean into the process and trust God’s timing? 
2. What does “little by little” mean to our spiritual growth this week?

“There is more to life than increasing its speed,”  – Mahatma Gandhi.

Psychologists explain that men generally do not like to ask for directions even when it seems logical and appropriate, especially when you are unsure you are traveling down the right road. Then you drive a little faster to make up for lost time, only to discover that you have retaken the wrong road. So you learn two truths: sometimes it is prudent to ask for directions, and secondly, the faster you travel on the wrong road, the farther you travel in the wrong direction.

So, is the point to travel slower, just in case you’re on the wrong road? The answer is no, because if you’re on the right road, traveling slower is not helpful. Nor does it make sense to travel faster, just in case you’re on the right road. The point is that direction is more important than your speed.

Many people point to their circumstances, the hand they were dealt, or what others have done to them as the primary reasons for the direction in their lives. There might be extenuating circumstances, but at the end of the day, you determine if your life is spiritually headed in the right direction.  The good news is our life is always headed in the right direction if you’re following Jesus.

Northpoint Pastor Andy Stanley wrote a book entitled The Principle of the Path. The book is shaped around one basic point–your path will determine your ultimate destination. This is a practical principle for helping us focus on the spiritual direction of our lives.

Andy writes that you don’t have problems to fix; you have directions that need to change. Andy uses an example from the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It’s a story of a young man who goes to town and is seduced by a prostitute. He doesn’t see the downside to his decision. He feels like a rock star in a club, but Proverbs says, “He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap, awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.” (Proverbs 7:22-23) Wise people look as far down the road as possible when making decisions.

Jeremiah 6:16 says, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.” Being on the wrong road or at a crossroads is an unsettling and stressful place. Which way does God want me to take? When I ask and can’t find an answer, it’s good to seek God for peace in the path He wants me to take. Peace doesn’t mean there won’t be a difficult road ahead. It means that you will have the assurance that no matter what happens, you’re on the road God told you to take.

Discussion Questions:

1. What areas of your life currently feel uncertain or lacking direction?
2. How can you actively seek God’s guidance through prayer and scripture study?
3. Are there any values or priorities you need to realign with to be on the right path?

 “We should rest in Christ alone for our salvation. But along with that, there is still an abiding principle that we ought to worship on the Lord’s Day and trust God enough to have a weekly routine where we cease from our normal labors… He made the Sabbath for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). God gives us the Sabbath as a gift; it’s an island of get-to in a sea of have-to. He also offers us the Sabbath. as a test; it’s an opportunity to trust God’s work more than our own. When I go weeks without taking adequate time off, I may or may not be disobeying the fourth commandment, but I’m certainly too convinced of my own importance and more than a little foolish. If my goal is God-glorifying productivity over a lifetime of hard work, there are few things I need more than a regular rhythm of rest.” –  Taken from Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung.

There’s a little phrase in Hebrews that should be attractive to every believer: “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9 ESV). Who wouldn’t want or need some rest?

Christianity often feels like more stuff to do, not less. Dallas Willard says that most of us jump into the busy part of Christianity—serving our neighbors, being active in the church, keeping up with spiritual disciplines—but we skip the “rest” part, which is crucial to accomplishing any other stuff. The goal is to work for God and be better at resting in Him. The Sabbath is one of the Bible’s most fundamental principles regarding time management. We must stop to enjoy God, His creation, and the fruits of our labor. The Sabbath is a day to recognize that God didn’t create us to accomplish tasks but to be in love with Him. That is our purpose. We weren’t made for a job. We weren’t designed for our ability to produce. We were created, first and foremost, for God.

One of the Ten Commandments says, “You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God….” (Exodus 20:9-10). God told us to set aside one day out of seven for a good reason: He knew we needed it. If we work all the time, not only will we wear out physically, but we’ll also neglect our relationship with God.

The Sabbath is a day of rest and worship. Our bodies need rest, but our souls also need renewing—and that’s why the Sabbath should be a time for worship and instruction in God’s Word. Jesus regularly attended worship on the Sabbath: “When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures” (Luke 4:16).

The Sabbath is important because it forces us to slow down and reflect.  And the busier your lifestyle is, the more you need to take time for reflection. Pausing to reflect on your relationship with God and others. It allows for rejuvenation and regeneration.

The Sabbath has a purpose for every one of us. It is a day we are meant to “keep holy.” (Exodus 20:8). It is a day to focus on God, meditate on truth, and enjoy creation. Stepping away from your daily work and setting aside time for a Sabbath rest allows you time to connect with God.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Do you view Sabbath as a command or an invitation?
2. Sabbath will look different for all of us because of our differing personalities. What might the terms stop, rest, delight, and worship look like for you?

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” – Exodus 20:8-11.

A couple of friends were conversing one day when one asked the other, “What did you do on your day off?” The friend detailed a seemingly endless amount of responsibilities and activities that needed to be done but did not finish because his friend interrupted by saying, “That does not sound like a day off.” The friend looked somewhat perplexed and replied with a shrug, “Well, if I don’t get them done on that day, when will it get done?”

Busyness has become an unofficial badge of honor in our society. We try to do too much in too little time and wonder why we are always exhausted. We were not made to go 24/7. Like all the devices we use to fit everything in, we need time to recharge our batteries.

Exodus 20:8-11 tells us one of the ways to recharge our battery is the Sabbath.  The Sabbath is something we rarely talk about. We think it’s an Old Testament law that isn’t for us. The idea that setting aside a day to rest completely is not just a commandment but an act of worship where we acknowledge God’s power and authority by surrendering our need to work constantly, allowing ourselves to fully enter into His rest and be renewed in His presence; reflecting on the creation story where God rested on the seventh day, demonstrating the importance of taking time to pause and appreciate His work.

When was the last time you took a real Sabbath? Not a Saturday where you didn’t work but still ran errands, not a Sunday morning at church followed by doing the week’s laundry, not five minutes of reading the verse of the day from your Bible app before launching into the workday. We know the Sabbath means rest, but what is true and real rest?

Simply put, the Sabbath is stopping and sitting with the Lord. Deciding how to Sabbath isn’t a one-size-fits-all practice, but something we each decide for ourselves. This can be reading, spending time with friends, turning your phone off, painting, driving, etc. The idea is to do something peaceful, life-giving, and resting with no agenda other than to refresh your spirit. This practice will hopefully help you feel closer to God and more rested.

But Sabbath rest goes much deeper. The Sabbath is a time to step back from daily routines and actively reflect on our relationship with God, considering how we can better align our lives with His will. Setting aside time for quiet contemplation, prayer, and fellowship with others allows us to experience spiritual renewal and be refreshed for the week ahead.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the Sabbath represent a time to step away from our efforts and rely on God’s work? 
2. How can you intentionally create a space for rest and reflection on your Sabbath day? 
3. How can you incorporate acts of worship and service into your Sabbath?

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”  – Philippians 1:21.

Most of us know of a miracle—a friend with breast cancer now cancer-free; a quadruple bypass survivor walking 5 miles every day; a baby that was given little hope for survival, alive and happy today, or cash appearing out of nowhere to keep a church from closing.

Do you believe in miracles? Maybe you feel like the conversation in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland: Alice and the Queen were talking, and Alice says, “There’s no use trying—one can’t believe impossible things.” Then the Queen replied, “I daresay you haven’t had much practice…When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!”

In 2025, with the ability of computers to do millions of calculations per second and mankind reaching farther and farther into space, people can be skeptical about miracles. But the Bible tells us of many miraculous events and happenings. But what is simply a happy coincidence, and what is a miracle? A rough definition of a miracle is a divine intervention into the regular course of the world that would not (or could not) have occurred otherwise. In other words, it is an act of God that can’t be explained conventionally. We tend to think of miracles as parting the Red Sea, feeding the 5,000, bringing Lazarus back to life, or catching so many fish that the boat was about to sink, and those types of things don’t happen anymore. Much about the Christian life is inexplicable by conventional human standards, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true or that miraculous things don’t happen in our modern age.

Our unchanging God is still in the miracle business today – not just in the dim and distant past or in some far-flung part of the world – but here, at home, in the 21st Century. He is still supernaturally performing acts that shouldn’t be able to happen according to the laws of nature or science. They may be rare, but they occur more often than we realize. These things don’t happen routinely and are impossible to predict in advance; they are always about God, never about us, and always have a purpose.

Our God is big enough to do whatever He wants—and sometimes He divinely rearranges things like trees falling everywhere but not on the house during Hurricane Michael. Or he reignites a marriage that was all but over. God can perform extraordinary acts or miracles in people’s lives. God can still intervene in seemingly impossible situations to bring about positive outcomes. God can break into our world whenever He chooses to do things we cannot explain. It is an amazing thing to see an act of God that can’t be explained any other way. It has nothing to do with luck or coincidence.

The greatest miracle of all is when someone opens their hearts to Christ, and He gives them the gift of a transformed life. What else can it be than a miracle when someone accepts Christ as Savior and you see joy and compassion where there was anger and discontentment?

God shows up in powerful ways, in ways that are inexplicable, incredible, and mysterious ways, both big and small.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can miracles demonstrate God’s love, power, and desire for a relationship with us?
2. How can we live with a “miracle mindset” even in everyday situations?
   
3. What are some ways we can be instruments of God’s miraculous work in the lives of others? 

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”  – Philippians 1:21. .

Before you can make resolutions for the new year — before you start a reading plan, choose a diet, buy a journal, or step on a treadmill — you need a why worth changing for. Our resolutions often wilt because we don’t have a why big enough to weather the inevitable temptations, distractions, and setbacks. So why do you want to change, or what will your why be for 2025? For many people, our why is to live for Christ. When Paul wrote, “For to me, living means living for Christ,” he meant that his very existence, purpose, joy, and identity were found solely in Jesus Christ. It’s not just about following rules but about a complete surrender of our lives to the will of God, acknowledging that our true life is found in Him and will be to live for Christ.

Paul encouraged us to continue to live our lives in Christ. That’s good advice, but also a little bit confusing. What exactly does it mean to live a life in Christ? Thankfully, he explains it more fully in Colossians 2:6-7: “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Paul uses two metaphors to help us visualize the why and the how. As a tree finds fertile ground and drives its roots ever deeper to find water and security, so we can connect to Christ, the very source of our identity. We’re His, we’re forgiven, and we’re loved. Once we’ve found this firm foundation in our Savior, it only makes sense to start building our lives on Him.

What does that look like? Imagine the confidence you can have knowing that even the worst of your sins are wiped away. Imagine the joy you possess, even in the worst circumstances, when you know you’re living for a greater mission. Imagine the hope you know when things seem bleak because you’re confident God is working for your eternal good. It is the why.

The life lived for God is a life of achievement, goals, sacrifices, and accomplishments, with some failures and turns along the way. Living for Christ means we are focused on Him rather than overly focused on our works for God.

The best life is the life lived with God. A life with God means communion, fellowship, and intimacy with the very Creator of the universe. Life with God recognizes that we can do nothing to increase or diminish God’s love for us. We realize that God’s greatest desire is to be in a relationship with His people. Is there a better why than that?

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of the obstacles to focusing on Christ above everything else?
2. What are some things that might happen if we lived our lives a little more for Christ in 2025? 

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.” – James 5:7-8.

Have you ever fast-forwarded a movie to bypass the scenes that don’t seem important to get to the scenes you think are important, only to find out you didn’t understand a big chunk of the storyline because you missed half the film? If you want to enjoy a movie, you have to watch it at the speed the writer intended. Only then will we be able to appreciate the cinematography, the cast of characters, the depths of tragedy, and the moments of joy as they unfold. It’s the same with the story of our lives. God has all the scenes in mind, each character in place. For us to enjoy and understand it, we must view our lives at the speed limit that God intended.

Most people operate at an ever-increasing speed limit. Our to-do lists seem to grow faster than we have time for. We hurry in the morning. Hurry on the road. Hurry at work. Hurry between meetings, and in meetings, and over meals. Hurry to do more on evenings and weekends than we realistically have time for. In our hurried world, we often feel pressured to rush through life, even in our spiritual journey, mistaking a frenetic pace for genuine devotion. But just like a car driving too fast on the highway can miss the beauty of the landscape, rushing through our spiritual life can prevent us from truly experiencing God’s presence and the depth of His love.

Psalm 46:10 says, ”Be still, and know that I am God!…”  This verse reminds us that genuine connection with God often requires slowing down, quieting our minds, and creating space for His voice to be heard clearly.  By consciously setting a “spiritual speed limit,” we can be more present in the moment, savoring the blessings of our daily lives and appreciating the small miracles God orchestrates around us. Slowing down allows us to cultivate deeper connections with loved ones, truly listening and engaging with them on a spiritual level. When we constantly resist the urge to chase after the next big thing, we can find greater inner peace and stability in our faith journey.  Evaluate your schedule and prioritize activities that nourish your spirit, letting go of things that drain your energy and focus.  And slowing time allows us to appreciate how God demonstrates His goodness to us.

So as we begin another year, how can we begin to practice the spiritual habit of slowing down? Bookend your day by giving God your attention. It was said of the German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer that he would begin and end his day in silence so that God would always have the first and last word.

When we want to move at a pace that is faster than His will, pause for a moment and wait on God. When life seems to be spinning out of control, ask God to help us block the noise so He can direct us and align His will with ours.  

 Discussion Questions:

1. Is your spiritual speed limit too fast? Why do you think that is?
2. What are some practical ways we can maintain the right spiritual speed?

“ I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” – Philippians 3:12-14.

Every day, we confront a wave of deadlines—assignments to be completed, due dates for bills, and worries about looming events in our families or businesses. Facing these matters, we must decide what to do. We hurry when there is no reason to hurry—just to be hurrying. What options should we consider? What should be our priorities? What do we need to know to make the right decisions? There is no question that the world seems to move faster with each passing year. One person described the current season as the age of acceleration, and as the world accelerates, so does our need to hurry.

Some of us would be miserable if things slowed down. We’d much rather things hurry up. The question is this: does hurrying truly serve us? The reality is that hurrying is often an enemy of what matters most in life. The more you do, the faster you have to work to get it all done. And the hurry cycle starts all over again.

Hurry can harm your relationship with God and others. Hurry will prohibit your ability to delve into scripture in more depth. Hurry will keep you from serving others well because it will cause you to brush over their needs. Hurry robs us of the beauty God has placed in front of us and the grace others desperately need. Hurry steals the best from us, so we must ruthlessly eliminate hurry.

Dealing with a hurry is as simple as deciding to slow down, although in reality, it is not easy. Build some margin in your life. Margin is breathing room. Margin is a little reserve that you’re not using up. You’re not stretched to the limit. You’re not going from one meeting to the next to the next with no space in between. Margin is the space between your load and your limit.

What happens if you ruthlessly eliminate hurry in your life and you begin to live with margin? You’ll have more peace in your life.  You’ll have unhurried time to spend with those that you love best. And, best of all, you’ll be available to God. You’ll be able to hear His still, small voice. You’ll be ready to live the life that He intended you to live.

We can uncover the root of our hurry, but it takes time. To start, the next time you feel the need to push the gas pedal, pause and breathe deeply. Refuse to be rushed. Decide to move at God’s pace.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What does healthy busyness look like, and what does unhealthy busyness look like? What are the symptoms of having too much hurry in your life?
2. How does hurry damage our emotional and spiritual health?