The Narrow Gate

"When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comforts me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be"
--Paul McCartney

I was counseling a friend a while back who found himself in trouble. He was straying from the path of his faith and was making decisions he knew were wrong. He wanted something that wasn't in God's timing for him at that moment and he was becoming impatient. He knew what he was doing was wrong--that it went against the grain of his faith--but it was something that he really wanted and how could it possibly hurt? In short, he was distraught and frustrated.

I listened to my friend's story and the same words kept coming to my mind: remind him of his faith. 

Our faith can be a safe harbor in times of trouble. It can give us comfort and a place to rest our weary minds. Why is it then, when we are in our deepest struggles, we move away from God instead of toward Him? Why is it so difficult to keep the faith?

Christianity isn't easy. I'm guessing that it isn't easy to be Jewish or Islamic or any other person of faith either. There isn't some magic spell that is cast when you become a Christian that takes all difficulties out of your life. When you have to live within a set of rules and then add in the whole "human weakness" factor, there are times it would be so much easier to throw your faith by the wayside. Wouldn't it just be simpler to do what feels good versus what is right?

Christianity is not one of those things you can put an asterisk next to. You know how athletes will have these incredible seasons and there will be an asterisk next to their name? It's either there for a questionable use of performance enhancing drugs, or a longer than normal season, or whatever.

What we can't do is say, "I am a Christian*."
     * except for that one time when it wasn't convenient.
     * except when I don't want to stand up to my friends and tell them 
        their swearing makes me uncomfortable.
     * except when I'm doing something I know is wrong but it feels right in this moment.
     * except when I want to eat that cake, even though I know it's not good for me.

I will be the first to admit that I  have been in a situation where I would love to put an asterisk after something I've done that I'm not particularly proud of. However, the best part about being a Christian is that you can get up, dust yourself off, and start again.

I have probably used this scripture before, but this one speaks exactly to what I'm trying to say.  It is Matthew 7:13-14:

“Enter through the narrow gate; 

for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, 

and there are many who enter through it. 

“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, 
and there are few who find it."

Being a person of faith is not easy--you gotta want it! But the rewards for living a life of faith full of integrity, kindness, generosity, and compassion far outnumber the few times that I'm inconvenienced by being the "good girl."  

In the end my counsel for my friend was to surrender himself to God, lay his problems at His feet, and keep the conversation open so that he could get divine guidance when needed. I reminded him to be patient and that he needed to find what he was looking for in God and then let God show him the next steps.

So when you "find yourself in times of trouble" turn your ear to God, and let Him speak His words of wisdom to you. You may not get an answer right away, and it may not be the answer you're looking for, but it will lead you through the narrow gate.