Exasperated by life’s many struggles, a young woman said, “Why can’t life be simpler?” I suppose we’ve all wondered the same thing when we’ve faced yet another trial or struggle. We want simple answers, but they’re not forthcoming. Sometimes we’re looking for someone to tell us what to do, but no one has the magic formula. What works for one doesn’t work for the other. Some say that life is simple; we make it complicated. I suppose that’s true, as we worry and project outcomes that become our fears and concerns.

Worry has a lot to do with the loss of our joy. It creates scenarios about our future that generate anxiety in our present. In our inability to control outcomes, we spiral into hopelessness as we feel a loss of power. We want things simpler because we tend to believe that simpler is better. But is it?

Life and the things of life shape who we become. Our experiences, both the good and the bad, have the potential to create great things in us. People who have gone through great trials have later shared that the experience helped them grow and that they were thankful for it. This aligns with James 1:2-4, which says, “when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

The simple fact is this. Life is not simple, and sometimes it’s just plain hard. It’s in these times that we need to stop and breathe. That’s right, breathe. Why? Breathing helps us sit back and relook at our circumstances. Rather than react, we can choose to respond. When we react, we often make the wrong choice because it’s born of panic and fear. Perhaps life would be simpler if we just learned to approach it more simply. Rather than panic, sit down, take a deep breath, and plan your next move. Think about it.