Throughout my life as a Christian, extreme examples of piety have been offered to me as models of how I ought to follow Jesus. Long fasts, acts of extreme financial renunciation, missionary martyrdom, as well as radical social activism have in various contexts been held up as the definition of a holy life.
When I’ve heard these stories, I’ve initially felt energized and inspired to follow these individuals and become a great Christian. One of my earliest memories of giving my life over to God included a devout prayer to God asking if I could do great things for him. But over the years, I’ve never quite been able to measure up to these aspirations, and this at times has left me feeling a little ashamed of my spiritual maturity.
But Jesus reminds us in Matthew 11 that following him is an unforced journey. He won’t put anything ill-fitting upon us. His yoke is gentle and light. He isn’t asking me or you to be anyone other than ourselves. Jean-Pierre de Caussade sums this up saying:
“In the realm of nature, the God of all goodness has made easy the things that are universal and necessary — breathing, eating, and sleeping. No less essential in the supernatural realm are love and faithfulness. Therefore the difficulty in achieving them cannot be as great as is generally thought.”
Such a simple analogy. God has made easy the things that are universal and necessary in the natural realm so it stands to reason that he has done the same in the spiritual. He invites us to trust him, obey him, and follow his leading. He doesn’t expect us to force ourselves into a mold that doesn’t fit. He is gentle and humble of heart. He won’t put anything ill-fitting on us. All we need do is follow his gracious invitations.
If you need reminding of the gentle and good way that God leads you, would you prayerfully consider joining us on retreat next month? Getting away for a couple of days of silence and prayer helps us reconnect with God’s gracious ways and renews our sense of what God is calling us to do.
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash
