Not always complicated
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NIV)
John the Baptist is traditionally recognized as having been a zealous teacher. Evidently, he also expected quite a bit from his followers, as on one occasion, some of them asked Jesus: “Why is it that we and the Pharisees rigorously discipline body and spirit by fasting, but your followers don’t?” Maybe they were implying that it was time for Jesus to make His followers shape up.
Jesus replied: “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” It sounds like He was saying, “Lighten up. Troubles will come soon enough, so enjoy these moments of peace while you have them.”
We all sometimes make our lives harder than they need to be, by taking on more than God expects of us. We convolute what could be straightforward. After all, the main thing He wants is love.
Sure, there are occasions when our path is rough or there are life-changing decisions to be made. But when we’re not in the midst of such critical times, maybe we should avoid getting tied up in knots trying to figure out minor details of life. Otherwise, we could end up missing out on the fullness of joy and peace that comes with God’s presence.
Life is not always complicated, and decisions are not always major. Let’s remember that, and when appropriate, let’s lighten up.
Do few things but do them well, simple joys are holy. - St. Francis of Assisi
[1] Activated Lighten Up
