Simplification Slavery

I never thought I would have to learn to be content with too much. But as it turns out, there is a secret to facing abundance, according to Paul's Philippian letter.

I hate clutter. Like, actually lay in bed at night anxious about how much stuff I own. I have never been to a Third World country, so it isn't reverse culture shock from seeing people with nothing and then people with everything. I think I just hate the idea that I might have more things than I can fit into my car and drive off into the sunset with.

I feel encumbered, trapped like the proverbial bird in a cage, and it points me to my idol of...I'm not sure what. Independence, for one thing, though the word sticks in my throat and loathes coming out into the light because I desire it so much and have fought for it so hard. But I think there is a less obvious idol lurking about, too. I think I idolize stuff itself. I think that the reason I push material things away is because I know deep down that once I have them, I love my things too much. I get attached. And I hate the attachment; it feels vulgar somehow to love things that have no soul, no breath.

The irony is, the fact that I am so bothered by the excess stuff I have is a burden in and of itself. Rather than lightening my slavery, I put the shackles on myself when I worry about having too many things. I drive myself mad trying to simplify, and I end up giving as much undeserved attention to the things I don't want as a greedier version of me might give to all the things on my gimme list.

So I am trying to learn how to be content in all circumstances, how to face plenty and hunger, abundance and need, how to be brought low and how to abound (4:12). Maybe being truly unattached to stuff means not being concerned if it's there or if it's not. Being truly free means being flexible, being able to live with joy no matter what.

And when it's time to move, there's always Goodwill.