Squeezing through the Narrow Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

No one ever said that traveling the road to who God wants us to be would be easy. This road is rocky, it is strewn with pits in which we can fall, it even has slippery slopes that may cause us to slide in the wrong direction. This road is also very narrow and the gate is small. To follow this roadway and enter through the gate of righteousness we have to focus and we have to do it with purpose. No one does this by accident or without thought.

Sometimes when we are trekking our way through the ups and downs of life we are faced with decisions or choices that are obviously not on the narrow path. When we come up against them, the choice may be clear but actually stepping out and moving in the right direction may not be so simple when those around us are pulling us toward the wide road. I have faced this time and time again in my life as I am sure you have. Your peers are all joining in, traveling together by sharing gossip, making judgments of others or planning an event that on the surface sounds like fun. Then you have to decide if you want to tag along on this seemingly harmless venture or excuse yourself from the happenings in favor of a less popular stand.

Think hard, pray hard everyday for God to guide your steps. Just because everyone else is going a certain way does not mean that you should. The wide road has lots of room for those who make the often too easy decision for the path of least resistance. You must risk being seen as different and unpopular, the "party pooper" at times knowing that God stands beside you in it. Few choose the right path because many times it is not the painless choice, obvious but not comfortable. Making the right choice that keeps you out of the loop or sets you apart from others can be hard but squeezing yourself through the narrow gate will pay off. You will feel better about your choices and yourself for standing up for Jesus and following his light as he leads you on his path.

Lord I thank you for your patience and the love you show me as I struggle at times making the right decision. I thank you also that even when I may step off the path, you are there to guide me back in the right direction. It's a continuing process and I am searching diligently for you and your light.