In my almost four decades on this earth, I’ve noticed a pattern: humans beings like to make things waaay more complicated than they really need to be. Plain, simple, straightforward solutions are not near as fun as the grandiose. And sometimes, plain and simple just ticks us off.
Same old, same old
This is all over the scriptures: sell your possessions and follow me, just look at the brass snake people - all will be well I promise you. Or don’t look – don’t look back Mrs. Lot. (Don't - do - it!)
A great example is the story of Naaman, found in 2 Kings, chapter 5. Naaman was a respected captain in the Syrian army who suffered from leprosy. One of his servants, a Hebrew girl, suggested he visit the prophet in Israel to “recover him of his leprosy”. So he set off for a little road trip: bringing his horse and his chariot, his servant and his silver, his gold and his many wardrobe changes. (Quite the spectacle.) He was prepared for a healing as magnificent as he!
Boy was he disappointed. Instead of the Evangelical cable show he was expecting --
he was told to simply bath in the river Jordan seven times. And to add salt to his already leaking wounds, the prophet Elisha didn’t even relay the message himself, his servant did.
In a fit Naaman turned around and left, bemoaning the pathetic rivers in Israel on his way. Thankfully for him a servant tried to talk some sense into him:
”...if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?”
So Naaman did just as the prophet counseled, and wouldn’t you know, all worked out fine in the end and he was healed.
Why do we do this?
Why do we look for the complicated answer, the sophisticated explanation --
or the spectacular? Let's be honest, we enjoy the drama! We like to feel important and sound intelligent. But sometimes….solutions are so much simpler than we realize.
It can't be that simple
Let me tell you one of my own Naaman stories. After I had my first child, I had issues with insomnia. Not just your typical sleep 3 hours a night with a newborn issues, I’m talking long after she was sleeping through the night, I still woke up at 2:00 am, like clockwork, and lay awake the rest of the night.
This went on for almost a year. I was living off literally four hours of sleep a day and it was horrible. I really feel for people with sleep issues: it effects your energy, concentration, mood, relationships….pretty much everything.
So here I was in the middle of this trial: not a life changing, shot to the heart kind of tragedy, more like a...
I was miserable. I tried everything to put myself back to sleep; herbal tea, warm milk, calming music, calming ocean sounds, breathing exercises, reading the book of Isaiah out loud, hot shower, running on my treadmill then a hot shower. I was nursing and pregnant, so medications were out of the question. I searched the internet, chatted with other moms, talked with my doctor, nothing - was - working.
One night I was tossing and turning, cursing my situation and venting to God, Why can’t I just fall asleep!?! This is so stupid! This is the dumbest problem ever, why are you not helping me!?! I’ve prayed, I’ve researched, I’ve tried everything I can think of and nothing helps!
Eventually my prayers softened, Please Heavenly Father, help me. Please. I need to sleep. What can I do to fall asleep?
This continued for a couple minutes. In my pathetic state I pled, I begged, I cried out for help. And you know what? After all my months of struggling and prayers bouncing off the ceiling, I heard an answer: in my mind, a light, but distinct voice, the whispering of the Holy Ghost. You know what He told me?
Sit up.
And do you know what I told Him? In the midst of my frustration, my desperation, my desolation --- you wanna know how I responded to that tenderly soft answer?
I said, out loud,
“That is the stupidest thing I ever heard!”
Didn’t God realize I was cozied up in my favorite fetal position, ready to drift into a peaceful slumber. I just needed Flora and Fauna to sprinkle their magic dust to finish me off. What a dumb idea, I thought, “sit up”.
I know, I’m a gem.
Well, needless to say, I didn’t sleep much that night, or any night after. It wasn’t until months later, after having my second child that I realized something while in the hospital. You wanna know what that was...
I noticed that when I was in the steep, reclined hospital bed at a 45 degree angle, I fall asleep in an instant.
That’s right! I eventually learned that sitting up in my bed atop a good 3-4 pillows, and I’m out like a light. I learned this many months, many tears, and many marital disputes after the Holy Ghost told me; plain and simply.
So what is your plain and simple answer you may be ignoring? What question keeps you holding out for a complex explanation, when it could really be as unimpressive as a repeated bath or changing sleep positions.
As a society, where are we ignoring plain and simple principles that will, little by little, “line upon line, precept upon precept,” bring peace and prosperity?
Don’t be dismayed by the uncomplicated. Don’t turn a blind eye (or ear) to God’s instructions. Save yourself the trouble and just listen - the first time. Often through small and simple things - are the spectacular come to pass.
