simple truth

i've been wrestling with so many questions in my spiritual life - which isn't all bad because it means my spiritual journey is on my mind, but i think i've ended up confusing myself more than anything. i was talking to an older sister the other day about some of these things and she said something that made me stop short: God is simple. we try to make things complex and ask Him if there's more. today while i was doing my QT i realized that's completely true.

in Experiencing God, the unit i'm currently going through is all about our relationship with God, the nature of God, His love, etc. and although i've thought about this topic so many times, going through it again brought up all these questions doubting my own motives and true spiritual state - am i truly serving because of my love for God or are there selfish motives? am i substituting these works for more depth in my relationship with God? do i really love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength - and what implications does that have for how i live every day? what does it even really mean to love God? does it mean that i have to have these warm fuzzy feelings every time i think about Him, or does it mean loving His people?

but one verse from today's devotion made everything fall into place.

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." - John 14:21

it's that simple. loving God is obeying Him - obeying Him when He tells me to take up my cross and follow Him daily, obeying Him when He tells me to lay down my pride and consider others better than myself, obeying Him when He tells me to trust in Him only, obeying Him when He tells me to have no other idols before Him. and when i do that i realize that i've just been complicating everything unnecessarily - all i need to do is follow Him and allow Him to direct my feet.

today in particular i feel like my blog is so aptly named; i'm constantly finding myself flat on my face, tripping over these simple truths that i still can't get over. luckily for me, i have a God who is always there to pick me up when i fall :)