Friends, please welcome Megan Snyder to the series this week! I first met Megan over a year ago when I was speaking at her church–Northside Christian Church in New Albany, IN (shout out to Northside, who is AMAZING and I love y’all to the moon!). Megan is one of those people who instantly felt like a friend, and I have watched and cheered as she has used her own voice to encourage women.  Megan is married, has a family, and loves sharing Jesus from a counter-cultural perspective. Her hope is to encourage others to know what freedom looks like when we choose Jesus and put Him first. Welcome Megan!!

Less is More

By Megan Snyder

There is an inexplicable joy that we can discover in a life lived in simplicity, and it is my heart’s desire to live within that reality. However, doing so requires being mindful of my priorities, because life gets complicated when we seek more than we actually need. When our attention is focused on achieving more and creating a life of excess, we will fall into distractions and busyness that can lead us to a life outside the peaceful will of God.

For me, turning to God’s Word has helped me to stay focused, and this has shaped my life in powerful ways. Keeping Jesus centered in my thought life allowed me to recognize idols that I had been serving in His place and were in dire need of surrendering, one of which was alcohol. A glass of wine at the end of a hard day seemed harmless, until it became a comfort I chose before going to God.

Turning to God’s Word also helped me to realize how much of my confidence rested on leading and serving our children’s ministry team and my life group. When God called me to step down from both positions, I began to doubt my self worth.

These changes (among many others) would, at some point, challenge the notion of my identity, my voice, my abilities and my worthiness. And it was in those moments I knew God was asking, “Can I be enough?”. It was a test of my heart and my trust in Him. Could I rely on Jesus to be enough for a fulfilled life, without a job title or a leadership position, without luxury or popularity, without numbing my stress and surrendering it to Him?

The answer was, YES.

Even though things seemed to be falling out of place, I could see where God was simplifying the noise and distractions I was relying on to fill a void, rather than relying on Him. I’m thankful for those trying times, though they didn’t come without doubt and many tears. But I know there is great reward when we nurture our God-given needs, rather than satisfying our earthly desires.

Living with less distraction and less noise invites more room for God to move in our hearts and in our lives, trusting that HE is enough. Less of me, and more of Him.

In the story of Gideon and his 300 men, we see a great example of having less and trusting God with the rest. Before Gideon was to go into battle, God cut down Gideon’s army from 32,000 men to just 300. But the Lord said, “I will deliver you with the 300 men, so let all the other people go.” (Judges 7:7). In other words, the Lord was telling Gideon He would deliver him with less, and to let all the others go because they were of no need. God was with Gideon, and He promised to bring Israel to victory that day. And spoiler alert, God did what He said He was going to do!

Simplicity may call us to live a life having less, but it can be so fruitful. And I bear witness to that truth and FREEDOM. We can choose to step into God’s divine assignments, trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us, knowing His ways are perfect even when they don’t make sense. When the world brings our minds to doubt and stirs our hearts to hustle, let us choose to slow down and sit at the feet of Jesus. Silence the noise, and draw near to the One who provides all our needs.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or thing.” – Ephesians 3:20