Simplifying Leads to Joy

You may have little choice in the type of secular work you do or about where you work, but there may be other aspects of your life over which you can exercise some control.  Consider the following experience.

A Christian couple invited an elder in their home for a meal.  In the course of the evening, the brother and his wife confided that of late they had been feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of life.  Although they both had demanding full-tiime jobs, they were not in a position to look for other work.  They wondered howlong they would be able to cope.

When asked for advice, the elder responded, "Simplify."  How?  The husband and his wife were spending up to three hours each day commuting to and from work.  The elder who knew the couple well, suggested that they consider moving closer to their place of employment, so that they would be able to reduce the amount of time that they spent traveling to and from work each day.  The time saved could be spent in caring for other important matters-or just getting some rest. If life's pressures are robbing you of a measure of joy, why not see whether you can get relief by making some adjustments?

Next time: Conclusion of Simplifying Leads to Joy

The Watchtower, 2001