Keep it Simple

I read this in a devotional last week and it really encouraged me. I often miss this so I need to preach it to myself:

"A father is delighted when his little one, leaving off his toys and friends, runs to him and climbs into his arms. As he holds his little one close to him, he cares little whether the child is looking around, his attention flitting from one thing to another, or if he's intent upon his father, or just settling down to sleep. The father doesn't care, because essentially the child is choosing to be with his father, confident of the love, the care, the security that is his in those arms." - Basil Pennington

I love this. Lately I've been wrestling with how much I believe what I say I believe because my life often doesn't reflect that. I've been challenged by how much faith it takes to follow Jesus and I see how little faith I've had lately. I've been discouraged by how routine the Gospel sounds to me, and I've been overwhelmed by the long list of things I need to do better. That, and the even longer list of things I should start doing. When this happens I often look at Christianity as a checklist of dos and don'ts, and that's exactly what it isn't. I'm not bound to that, and there is so much more freedom in the arms of my Abba.

So far it sounds like I've had a rough couple weeks but it's been quite the opposite...it's been amazing! While I'd love to be intently listening and doing all of those things right, sometimes I'm just not in tune with the Spirit, but when I just show up I can trust that my Father will gently lead me in the right direction and I'll soon be back on track. God loves it when we, his children, simply come to him and seek his company. He is bigger than our trials, our doubts, our struggles...those things often distract us from the joy of being still in his presence. Slowing down, getting quiet, sitting on Daddy's lap and listening to what He wants to do in my life and being open to that has been a really cool experience, and it makes all of the other things seem less overwhelming because I know he's shaping my heart to do all those things better.