One of the latest trends in society today is minimalism. The idea is that you live with only the necessities and abandon all the rest. Whether it’s clearing the clutter because it doesn’t “spark joy” or moving to a tiny house, it seems there’s always room to pare down and take the “less is more” approach.

After nine months of prayers and interviews, God provided a new job for me at a small local advertising agency. Accepting this position will be a shift for our family budget (hello minimalism!), but it will also provide more time together as a family (a big win!). Adjusting to this focus-on-frugal lifestyle will be a true lesson in trusting His plan and timing, as well as reminding ourselves that He takes care of the birds and will certainly take care of us, too.

While anticipating this change in our spending habits, I realized that God has thoughts on living the thrifty life, too:

Life isn’t always about wanting more. “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

He reminds us to be content with what we have and not compare ourselves to others. “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6); “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11)

We are richer than we think. “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” (Proverbs 13:7)

I recently read a Japanese proverb that resonated with me: “Even if you sleep in a thousand-mat room, you can only sleep on one mat.” Taking a minimalist approach to life isn’t about having less — it’s about making room for more of what matters. You know — love, kindness, sincerity, humbleness — all those good things.

Hebrews 13:5 reminds us to “be content with such things as ye have” and not to fear because He “will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We are “rich” in many ways, and it doesn’t always include what’s in our bank account. Walks in the park, cuddles with your children, reading the Scriptures — all free. We can part ways with the overabundance of stuff in our closets; we can push pause on the expensive gym membership; we can say goodbye to eating out several evenings each week — all of it can be replaced or forgotten, and chances are we may not even miss it!

The things of this world will never bring us the joy that serving the Lord does, and that’s the one thing we don’t have to be cost-conscious about! We have His heavenly storehouse to shop in any time we’d like! May we remember how blessed we are and rejoice in the things we have. Once we need less, we will have more.

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth…for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:15,34)

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.