Simplicity in Complexity
It’s twelve forty-five in the morning. I lay in a sleeping bag on my living room floor, awake. Though I have every reason to be comatose, I can’t close my eyes. It’s prayer time. I roll over onto my stomach, and start to seek the Lord, trying not to wake my friend on the couch, though I’m sure not even World War III can wake her at this point. My flesh usually has a hard time praying so late, but I don’t feel any resistance. I drown my fears and failures with repentance and humbled praise, letting God wash me with his grace and mercy.
For the past month I’ve been pondering what to write about. Usually I know well in advance, and my thoughts have clear direction. However, this entire month I struggled with what God wanted me to say—what He was trying to teach me. I would land on a subject only to change my mind soon after. Spiritually, I felt pulled in a thousand different directions, which was probably because my heart has been heavy. It wasn’t until last night that I received my breakthrough.
One ten in the morning. I decide to take the emotional plunge and wade through what’s been ailing my heart—what’s been keeping me from the joy I find in Jesus everyday. I think about the last couple of weeks. Though I had been showered with amazing preaching, though I was fed the word of God and wrapped in praise and worship, I still ended up at the altar, crying my eyes out. And though I should have been rejoicing, I found myself heavy and couldn’t understand why. Ah, the ever-present question of why. Why? Why, God? But instead of asking why, I decide to think about what. What? The memories come flooding to me. Tears fill my eyes, as the weight in my heart grows.
I ask God, when I am able to speak, “Lord, what do I do? I realize now it’s been me all along carrying this weight. I’m letting it go. I’m giving it to you. I’m letting you take control again. But, Jesus, what do I do? What happens when I try and try, but no matter what I do, nothing changes? What do I do when I’ve tried to maintain relationships with people but they fall apart? What do I do when someone hurts me by hurting You? What do I do when differences can’t be reconciled? I know You’re in control, and I trust You. I won’t worry, but is there anything humanly possible that I can do? Search my heart, Lord, is there something that I missed? Is there something I need to say? Is there something I should do? What do I do?”
I feel the Lord’s arms wrap around me as He warmly tells me, “You love them.”
“That’s it?”
“You love them.”
“Really?”
“Really. Love each and every one like I do. And remember how much I love you. You might find the weight lighter. Never did I say that I expected you to be perfect. That’s My job.”
God’s Love. Could it really be that simple? I wipe the tears from my eyes. I think about every situation that weighs on me. I add God’s love to the equation. Suddenly, every issue fades to gray. My heart begins to feel lighter. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”
If any of you are like me, we all go through times when everything in our lives seems to fall apart. We all go through rumble strips—periods where God will bring you through a trial to teach you. Note that I said bring you. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in all of our problems that we forget that God will bring us through. We get so busy that we forget that He is always with us; we are never alone. In the meantime, what can we do? We can love. Even when we feel that we’ve been wronged and that people should love us, we can still love others. In Matthew 7:12 Jesus clearly states, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Similarly Luke 10:27 says, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” And again this concept is stated in Luke 6:31.
Never should we find an excuse not to love our neighbors. It sounds so simple, but it’s something we forget to do sometimes. The important thing is, it’s not about us—it’s about Jesus. It’s about His sacrifice, His love, His commandments. God truly loves us, so what reason do we have not to love others? Do you have enemies? Love them. Do you have friends? Love them. Do you have co-workers? Love them. We are commanded by God to love. The more you let God take control, the more you love, and the more you do unto others as you would have them do unto you—the more true, God-given joy you will feel.
So it’s simple: how many people have you loved today?
Thanks for being vulnerable. No doubt hundreds of people have wrestled with the same issues. It is helpful when someone shares how God helped them work through it.
You came around to a real key – trite as it migh sound, love is the real answer!