The Devil’s Tapeworm
Breaking free from the bondage of everything all the time.
There’s a moment in almost every modern life when a person looks around and realizes - there’s too much. Too much stuff. Too many distractions. Too many things pulling for attention. The weight of excess is not just physical but spiritual, pressing down on the soul, suffocating peace, and leaving little room for the presence of God.
Jesus understood this struggle well. He spoke directly to it when He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20). In these words, He reveals that the pursuit of material gain is not just a poor investment—it’s a distraction from eternal purpose.
A tapeworm thrives by consuming everything its host ingests, yet it leaves the host constantly malnourished, no matter how much they eat. In the same way, the relentless hunger for possessions we really don’t need deceives us into believing we will eventually feel satisfied. Instead, we remain spiritually empty, drained by the very things we thought would bring us fulfillment.
Just as a parasite steals nourishment from the body, material excess robs our souls of the peace that comes from resting in God's provision.
The Burden of Accumulation
The culture of accumulation teaches us that happiness is always one purchase away. If we get the better car, the bigger house, the designer brand, then we will finally feel secure, respected, and fulfilled. But as Jesus warns in Luke 12:15, “Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Yet, how often do we live as though it does?
American consumerism fuels this lie. The average American home contains over a hundred thousand items, and yet dissatisfaction remains. A recent survey found that twenty-four percent of homes with two-car garages didn’t have room to park a car inside because the garage was too full of stuff. Each year, Americans spend $1.2 trillion on non-essential goods, chasing security and happiness. The clutter is not just in our homes but in our hearts.
R.C. Sproul observed, “The more we accumulate, the greater our tendency to rely on things rather than on God.” Scripture supports this truth in Ecclesiastes 5:10, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.” When wealth or possessions define our identity, they become idols, taking the place of God in our lives.
The Emotional and Spiritual Cost of Excess
Many turn to material possessions to cope with stress, loneliness, and anxiety. Research shows that people engage in retail therapy to experience a temporary sense of control or pleasure, but this only feeds a greater financial burden and emotional emptiness. The more we buy, the emptier we feel.
C.S. Lewis once said, “Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” The world promises fulfillment in abundance yet leaves us feeling hollow and enslaved to the very things we thought would set us free.
The rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-22 exemplifies this struggle. He had followed the law, yet his heart was bound by wealth. When Jesus told him to sell his possessions and follow Him, “he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” His security was not in Christ but in his possessions. This is the danger of accumulation - what we own can end up owning us.
Simplicity as a Heart Posture
Biblical simplicity is not about rejecting all material things but about reordering our affections. Paul captures this in 1 Timothy 6:6-7: “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” True contentment comes not from abundance but from trust in God’s provision.
John Wesley advised, “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” The biblical principle of simplicity is not asceticism, but stewardship - using our resources wisely without being consumed by them.
Simplicity is an act of faith. It declares, “Lord, You are enough.” Jesus invites us into freedom, not deprivation. Hebrews 13:5 reminds us, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
This means living differently. Instead of striving for more, we can shift our focus toward generosity, faith, and resting in God’s sufficiency. The pursuit of possessions often leads to exhaustion, but the pursuit of Christ leads to peace.
Living Out Biblical Simplicity
Embracing simplicity does not mean abandoning all possessions but rather cultivating a lifestyle of trust and stewardship.
Consider the following:
Examine your attachments. Are your possessions defining your identity? Do they bring genuine joy or just temporary satisfaction? Jesus calls us to seek treasure in heaven, not on earth.
Practice generosity. Jesus taught that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Instead of accumulating, give freely. The joy of simplicity is found in sharing with others.
Declutter your priorities. Simplicity is not just about material possessions but about heart alignment. Are your commitments drawing you closer to God or distracting you from Him? True peace comes from margin, not busyness.
Live within your means. Avoid unnecessary debt and trust God to provide. Proverbs 22:7 warns, “The borrower is slave to the lender.” True financial freedom comes when we surrender our finances to God’s wisdom.
Find joy in simplicity. Spurgeon once said, “You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” Contentment is a spiritual discipline, not a financial milestone.
What Are You Holding Onto?
Simplicity is not just about possessions; it is about rejecting anything that clutters our faith - our ambitions, schedules, worries, and comparisons. When we surrender these distractions, we make room for true joy and fulfillment in Christ.
This is not a call to less, but to more - more peace, more joy, more trust. When we let go of what does not matter, we finally have room to embrace what does. The freedom of simplicity is not found in what we own but in the One who owns us.
Final Reflection
What would your life look like if you truly embraced simplicity? If you let go of excess and trusted in God’s provision? Today, take one step toward decluttering your heart and your home, knowing that true fulfillment is found not in what we accumulate, but in whom we follow.
Simplicity is a pathway to joy, a reflection of trust, and a life lived in step with the kingdom of God. May we embrace the freedom it offers and find our greatest riches in Christ.
Author’s Note: This is the first message in a new teaching series about simplicity. I welcome your thoughts or suggestions about this message in the comments below. If this message blessed you, consider sharing it with someone who is struggling in the rat race of consumerism. May God bless you and keep you free.
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Brilliant reminder, thank you! The battle against the enemy, the flesh and the world is relentless, the only place of peace and rest is in Him, and He wants all of us.
I believe God wants us to be ambitious. He wants us to strive to become better at whatever we do, because it validates our identity through making an effort. God respects effort, as seen in the story of Cain and Abel. But our ambition should not come at the cost of cheating the reality. We should not grasp til we are ready, and not take to benefit ourselves but to benefit others. Through active service in humility humans can truly grow.