The Simple Life

There is an old country song that croons, “The simple life is the life for me.”

That is a phrase that resonates within my soul. I’ve never been someone who sought glory or fame or spectacular achievements that the world would be awed by. I’ve always been attracted by peace and quiet, small groups and individual relationships, life lived for the basics.

Now every life has struggles, ups and down, financial stress, health issues and the reality of living in a fallen world. But some paths lead through mountains and valleys and others lead straight into battlefields full of land mines, quicksand and enemy troops.

To take an illustration from one of my favorite series, in the Lord of the Rings, Frodo was a reluctant hero. He didn’t want to tread the path of danger. His desire was to settle into the beautiful Shire and enjoy all of the goodness around him. But for the sake of that very goodness that he loved he took up a quest that would cost him more than he wanted to pay.

I feel a bit like that as I serve here in Hungary. At times I am such a reluctant servant. I could have stayed forever in my homeland surrounded by beauty and a life I enjoyed while still serving the Lord. But here I am, because I am not my own. My life is not mine to direct and He has chosen a different path for me.

When I was in Italy, I stood on the pier waiting for the water bus to come and I watched a fisherman in his small boat out on the bay. It occurred to me to wonder if the disciples ever felt the same way. As they spread the gospel, pursued and persecuted, did they ever look out at the sea and wish for simpler days of fishing and enjoying family and friends?

I’ve been studying in Romans and though I’ve read this verse many times in the last few weeks this morning is the first time I think I really saw these words, “For even Christ did not please himself.” (Romans 15:3a)

Sacrifice is the heart of the gospel. And if that means life is more complicated then I would like it to be, it’s ok. Because there is no life at all without Christ and the simple life lived outside of His will would be a heartache that doesn’t compare with the struggle of living outside of every comfort zone but still safe and secure in His arms.