Several years ago I was introduced to the concept of simplicity. I became aware that life, when boiled down to its lowest common denominator is not complicated, but rather simple and clear. Why then are we so anxious, stressed, and angry? Why are we touching our smartphones 2,000 times each day? Why are we sleeping less and fretting more?

Let me offer a full confession. I am a recovering productivity and busy addict. I am a type A, driven human being that has had to learn the hard way that I regularly need to build healthy boundaries and honor who I know I was created to be. There is a reason that Jesus launched His ministry three decades after arriving in Bethlehem. He then set out for a forty-day fast in the desert to be with God the Father. He never had to say, “I’ve got a junior executive that will handle that for you,” so He could scoot past someone on to the next appointment…in a hurry. In John Mark Comer’s book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,” he makes so many great statements about our need to learn the ways of Jesus. By the way, this was one of the most impactful books that I have read in years!

Whether you are a follower of Jesus or you simply recognize Him as a great role model, we can all agree that the world would be a far better place if we all acted and reacted more like Jesus.

With that one thought in mind, I want to offer this one simple step to you experiencing a far greater life.

JUST SIT!

That’s right, just SIT.

I’ve been working with the acrostic, SIT for about eighteen months and it is a powerful part of the energy, passion, and peace that I am experiencing in this season of life. I pray it helps you as well.

JUST SIT
S – SPACE = Solitude and Silence
I – INVESTMENT = Intentionality and Involvement
T – TANGIBILITY = Transfer and Tackle

It’s the simplest and most powerful adjustment that I’ve made in my life.

S

We need a handful of minutes each day that includes a good SIT. We need to SIT in Solitude. Solitude includes Silence. No noise, no people, no recorded voice, or music. When I added a few minutes of solitude and silence I discovered space for me and the Divine to plan together. I discovered a space where my thoughts were as tangible as writing on a whiteboard and my priorities got clear. Here are the three key elements to discover your “space.”

• FIND YOUR SPOT. It needs to be easily accessible to you. It needs to be comfortable. It must be where you can “hide” for more than 5 minutes.
• Be consistent and get to that spot at the same time every single day. You might be a 5-day-a-week kind of SITTER, but I function best when I SIT 7-days-a-week. If you aren’t an earlybird, don’t fight that. Get to your spot in the evening. I prefer morning, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. Get there consistently.
• Leave your tools for solitude in your SITTING SPOT. My tools include pen, index cards, and my NLT Bible.

I

We need to SIT so we can properly Invest. That few minutes of investment each day accomplish three extraordinary things. These quiet minutes of investment create new neuropathways (with consistency) that train us to be grateful, wise, and productive. This world is filled with people that do not get the concept of daily gratitude. I am living proof that if you will write down two things that you are grateful for every single day, you will be happier, healthier, and a great deal more likable. That is a triple win, my friend! When you are wiser, you make fewer mistakes, build healthier relationships, and avoid the pitfalls of moral failure. When you are productive, you can accomplish more in less time and build healthy boundaries around you, your family, and your vocation. Once again – triple win! I’ve realized that in these minutes of silence I can actually hear from God, not just talk to my Creator.

T

Now, for all the driven folks out there, it’s time to get tangible. By tangible, I mean that you activate your silence, solitude, and investment, you now transfer those new thoughts direction and clarity into tangible action. Capture what is your most Treasured task of the day. By Treasured I am referring to that one Task which you must accomplish Today. The most critical Task today. Keep it right in front of you. That is the purpose of the index card. Add that one critical task to the two things you are grateful for. Capture your gratitude and your most critical task. Then capture one Thought that the Divine gave you to do, be, or share Today. With those Three Tangible Tasks, you are ready to Tackle the day! Thankfulness, Task, Thoughts.

It’s simple, but you don’t just SIT. You SIT with purpose.

But hear me, young Grasshopper. All of this is in addition to reading a brief piece of scripture. If you struggling with where to start reading, just start with the Gospel of John. Read for 5 minutes, SIT, then rinse and repeat.

I Guarantee You that this Will Greatly Improve Your Life!

Peace, Chuck