Follow My Lead: Keep It Simple Day 5
By now, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed.
We've prepared the way.
We've heard the invitation.
We've made the decision.
We've started learning from the Teacher.
And if you're anything like me, you're probably wondering:
Am I doing this right?
How much should I read?
How long should I pray?
Should I be studying more?
What if I miss a day?
What if I forget?
What if I fail?
Before long, following Jesus can start to feel more complicated than it was ever meant to be.
But Jesus had a habit of simplifying things.
When religious leaders buried people beneath rules, Jesus pointed them back to relationship.
When people complicated faith, Jesus pointed them back to love.
And when weary people were exhausted from trying harder, Jesus offered this invitation:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30
I love that phrase:
Learn from me.
Not perform for me.
Not impress me.
Not prove yourself to me.
Learn from me.
As a teacher, I've learned that one of the quickest ways to overwhelm a student is to give them too much at once.
Learning works best when we focus on the next thing.
The same is true in our relationship with Jesus.
One mistake many of us make is believing we need to move on to a new verse, chapter, podcast, devotional, or Bible study every day.
But learning doesn't work that way.
Relationships don't work that way.
Sometimes God invites us to linger.
Sometimes one verse is enough.
One sentence.
One question.
One lesson.
One truth.
Sometimes He keeps bringing us back to the same Scripture because He wants us to experience it, not simply understand it.
Read it.
Think about it.
Pray through it.
Ask questions.
Write it down.
Carry it with you.
Come back to it tomorrow.
And the next day.
And the next.
Stay with it until you believe it.
Stay with it until you trust it.
Stay with it until it begins to shape the way you think.
Stay with it until it changes the way you respond.
Stay with it until it becomes part of who you are.
The goal isn't to get through more Scripture.
The goal is to allow Scripture to get through to us.
I've noticed something else.
When I rush through God's Word, I often collect information.
When I linger, I encounter transformation.
Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry.
He walked.
He stopped.
He listened.
He noticed.
He asked questions.
He spent time with people.
He lived at a pace where relationships could flourish.
Maybe that's why sheep are such a fitting image.
Sheep don't sprint ahead of the shepherd.
They stay close enough to hear his voice.
They trust that he knows where the next pasture is.
And they follow.
One step at a time.
One day at a time.
One lesson at a time.
The older I get, the more I realize that following Jesus is much simpler than I once thought.
Love God.
Love people.
Stay close to the Shepherd.
Keep learning.
Keep listening.
Keep walking.
That's enough.
Make It Personal
Is there a verse, lesson, or question that God keeps bringing back to your attention?
Have you been rushing ahead looking for something new when God may be inviting you to linger a little longer?
What truth do you need to stay with until it moves from your head to your heart?
Dig Deeper
Matthew 11:28-30 — My yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Psalm 1:1-3 — Meditating on God's Word day and night.
Joshua 1:8 — Keep God's Word always on your lips.
John 15:4-5 — Remain in Me.
Psalm 119:11 — I have hidden Your Word in my heart.
Following Jesus doesn't have to be complicated.
Stay curious.
Stay connected.
Stay close to the Shepherd.
And keep it simple.