What You Can Learn From Jonathan Edwards And His Pursuit Of Minimalism

If you’re not familiar with Jonathan Edwards, one of America’ most influential philosophical theologians, you really should check him out. He was a pastor mightily used of God and delivered what is arguably the most popular sermon ever given by anyone not named Jesus Christ (“Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God“).

One of the things that Jonathan Edwards is most remembered for, however, is a list of 70 Resolutions he wrote down and put into daily practice. These were his own personal life verses, if you will. He would read these over and over and over again, always wanting to live better in the present day than he did the day before.

For anyone (anyone like me, for example) wanting to exercise Strategic Minimalism throughout their days, some of these Resolutions should be very helpful to meditate on and put into practice. They are simple, short, and meet us at the heart of what is most important in life. Below are a select few of his Resolutions that I find genuinely interesting, minimalistic in nature, and downright useful! Enjoy.

• Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
• Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
• Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
• Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
• Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
• Resolved, to live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.
• Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.
• Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.
• Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
• Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
• Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.
• Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion.
• I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.
• Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

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