Not Easy but Simple

 The more I know the more I realize how much I do not know. The more I experience the more inexperienced I feel.  Being a disciple of Jesus is a bit like that. You begin the journey towards faithfulness feeling you know what you are getting into, but then the demands of discipleship sharpen as it digs into life.

Following Jesus will most certainly invite you to become disencumbered: to become free from hardship and unnecessary attachments. What at first is an invitation to greater freedom, the realization of attachment becomes evident. Fear of being without can quickly turn into a fear of letting go. The invitation to let go is simple. The response is not so easy.

Following Jesus will most likely introduce you to people you never expected to meet. What is at first an invitation to broader fellowship can turn into discomfort. Uncertainty pokes away at friendliness. The stranger disappears. Outsiders become new friends to embrace. The invitation is simple – open your heart to God’s love. The follow through however, is not so easy.

Following Jesus will in all probability include a journey into the unknown. What at first feels adventuresome can become disconcerting as you are continually called to embrace the unfamiliar. Mystery becomes an unwelcome companion. Craving for the familiar deepens. But the faith you yearn comes alive in the context of the unknown. This is where trust is developed. The invitation is simple – follow me, but the step of obedience is not easy.

Following Jesus is simple, but not always easy.