Two of my guiding values for this season are letting simplicity shape my soul and worship, and leading a quiet life (I explored my values earlier). Both of these two values come from the same wellspring of scripture that has a key verse for me in this season, 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12. In this passage, Paul instructs us to “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” I think this is more than a verse for me in this season. I believe that there is a manifesto for the modern soul hidden in this quick passage—a manifesto that should shape the church in this season of complexity.
As I shared before, almost four years ago, during a time of prayer and meditation, I first sensed God drawing me to those words. I did not fully understand why at the time. I am still learning because I am a slow learner. As I prayed about the coming year of 2026, I felt the same verse rise again, weighted with renewed conviction. I guess I am still discovering what God wants me to see, and still feeling the pull of the world around me to be bigger, louder, or faster. The world pushes for spectacle; God invites us to simplicity.
Five Quotes on Leading a Quiet Life
Over the past few weeks, I came across five quotes on Facebook that encouraged me on this journey toward simplicity in worship and leading a quiet life. All five of these quotes were poignant and had a way of stopping me as I read them and rew me into conversations. They served as small, timely reminders to step out of the noise, slow down, and resist the pressure to perform.
“Focus on what is necessary and don’t allow your attention to be divided by many distractions.” — Dave Jacobs
Dave Jacobs is a pastor and mentor to ministry leaders, especially for small church leaders. Jacobs words cut through the clutter. They remind me that most of my self-imposed stress comes from things that truly do not matter in light of eternity or in light of our God-given purposes. The spiritual life is often not about adding more; it is about letting go of what constantly steals our attention. Less noise means more presence.
“In our age of digital rivalry and personal branding, Jesus quietness, self-possession, inner freedom model a radical alternative…” — Michael Hardin
Michael Hardin is a theologian known for his work on how peace and Jesus disrupt our violent social patterns. Hardin’s reflection calls out something we all feel and a weakness social media is always feeding: the persistent pressure to be seen, admired, or followed. Jesus offers freedom from the exhausting cycle of comparison. He teaches us how to rest in the unwavering love of God without chasing recognition from others.
“THE FUTURE CHURCH WON’T BE BUILT BY INFLUENCERS but by embodied leaders who stay rooted in place, lead with repentance and humility, and subvert consumerism through presence. Slow down. Be interruptible. The kingdom moves at a different pace. The speed of relationships.” — David Fitch, quoting Gino Curcuruto
David Fitch is a church planter and well-known professor who writes about the slow, relational work of ministry. Gino Curcuruto is a leader, blogger, and pastor walking those ideas out in everyday life. Together, they remind us that the kingdom does not move at the speed of social media platforms or viral trends. It moves at the speed of relationships. The future church is formed by people who stay, repent, show up, and live among those they serve. We are called to rootedness, not reach.
“What if your limitation isn’t a finish line. What if it is an invitation?” — Jon Ferguson
Jon Ferguson, co-founder of Community Christian Church in Chicagoland and a part of the Exponential Community, is a pastor who writes often about discipleship. Ferguson’s insight powerfully reframes weakness. Instead of seeing our capacity maxed out as a failure or a sign of inadequacy, he invites us to see it as the moment God steps in. Our limits do not end the story. That means the more we see our limitations (rather than chasing fulfillment), the more we find of God. Limitations open us up to deeper dependence on the One who is limitless.
“I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but if your church’s lights look like a concert and the sermon sounds like self-help help you did not go to church, you went to a TED talk with tithes.” — Granny Bibbins
Granny Bibbins is a viral online persona who posts blunt one-liners that often hit close to home. This one reminded me that true worship is not meant to be entertainment. The church is not a self-improvement brand designed to elevate your personal brand. We gather not to be impressed, but in simplicity, to be formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others.
The Distraction of Social Media
I understand the irony of finding quotes on simplicity and quiet living on social media. Social media can certainly inspire, but it is also a powerful engine of distraction and comparison. This week, my wife Katie and I dealt with a situation involving our oldest daughter. Even though she has one locked-down Teen Instagram account, through our conversation, I could clearly see how it still pulls her away from the simple rootedness we hope to cultivate in our family. She was repeatedly and inevitably compared her real, messy life to the staged, curated, and filtered lives of others. It is a subtle, corrosive influence, but it wears down the soul.
I realized God is pressing the very same message into me. We scroll, compare our lives and ministries, and absorb the anxieties of thousands of strangers and acquaintances in seconds. It is much easier to be passively influenced by the surrounding noise than to sit quietly before God for even five minutes. Yet the quiet is precisely where we are reshaped, refined, and given the grace to lead a life that truly matters. The quiet is where God retrains the heart.
Recently, as I inventory the emotions that arise when I feel misunderstood or ignored (by whoever—kids, coworkers, etc.), I’m realizing how easy it is to feel undervalued. And that can make you feel not “good enough.” When we feel unseen or not good enough, we often look to social media for distraction or quick affirmation, and, in subtle ways, this pulls us away from rootedness and presence. This is the threat of frameworks built on follows, likes, comments, and the like.
Quiet Life, Slow Soul
When I talk about leading a quiet life, I do not mean isolation, silence, or passivity. It does not mean withdrawing from responsibility as a father to three daughters. I mean learning to be attentive, present, and unhurried. I mean, releasing the constant craving to prove, perform, and impress. I mean choosing a smaller circle, a slower pace, and a deeper trust in God’s provision and timing. Simplicity is not just an aesthetic for my home or my schedule. Simplicity is discipleship, and it is a journey. I cannot lead where I have not been led myself; I cannot teach what I have not discovered myself. Learning to live in what a friend once called a “slow-cooked” way of life is the necessary practice by which God lovingly retrains the heart and prepares us for the work of the kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
- Where have you felt the tugs of society trying to convince you that you need to be louder or more visible?
- How have you felt social media wear down your desire to live a simpler life and be?
- What quotes have inspired you toward simplicity or a quiet life recently?
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