“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14
How does one know they are on the ‘right path’? Do you just follow others as they have been taught who now have taught you through tradition and formula? Herd mentality is severely taught within colleges now. Virtue signaling has become the new morality. They say, “Just comply, don’t think.” There are many sections of society that are very susceptible to that type of behavior. Some of those groups are now college graduates, the medical industrial complex, and the Churchianity crowd. If you dare to challenge the authority with questions you will be cancelled and cast out.
Yet here is Jesus speaking directly against that trend. Even in Jesus’ time the people were very swayed by the religious sects, just like now. Human behavior can be easily swayed by deception. The life of the ‘narrow way’ is hard and few find it. Why? Because one must engage individually with the Holy Spirit for themselves. It’s always easier just to follow the crowd and the loudest voices. The life of following the Spirit’s instructions requires an actual intimate inward relationship within the heart of the individual with the Holy Spirit. This means being able to hear His voice and instructions. This means being able to translate His wishes for you. What’s easier? Just listening to a ‘pastor’ or preacher or podcast for your ‘life’ instructions. Certainly there is no shortage of ‘spiritual teachers’. And it seems most are promoting their ‘path’ and instructions are the ‘right’ one. Just give us $ (buy our book, class, workshop, video, subscription, join our ‘church’, etc.). The real spiritual teachers / ministers are ALWAYS pointing you back to Christ and the Holy Spirit for the Truth and your individual ‘path’.
More and more voices are joining the airways and avenues. Everywhere the multitude of voices are growing. Never in my lifetime has the individual had so many choices of who they listen to. IS that a bad thing? Not necessarily, but only makes it more difficult to decipher and follow the ‘whispers’ of the Holy Spirit. Pilgrim’s Progress is a good example of the myriad of voices always trying to lead the ‘pilgrim’ off the path. Now the amount of voices is overwhelming.
The need to ‘unplug’ has never been higher. The discipline of self control has never been more costly and more needed. It’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit constantly keeping you on the right ‘path’. Being able to say, “No.” Being able to walk away. Being able to pause before reacting. Being able to pause before deciding what to do. Becoming still enough in your mind to engage Him in your processes. We must be able to ask Him and HEAR His answers to us …individually.
“Though none go with me, I still will follow Jesus.” This line from a song I learned early in my life — now resonates in my soul. Have you had to navigate a desert alone? Have you had to go through a lot of ‘breaking’ processes? Has He led you seemingly into difficult places and situations? Yes? We must learn what it really means to be dependent on Him. The old saying, “You never know God is all you need, until He is all you’ve got” is still true. We must learn to come to the ‘end of ourselves’ and humbly come before Him, broken and contrite. Our pride, our ignorance, our wrongly formed perceptions and expectations .. need to be eradicated from our lives. The more ‘gifted’ a person the greater the ‘breaking’ process. “To whom much is given, much is required.” Can God trust you? Can you trust you? Can your friends trust you? Why would God trust you with His secrets and wisdom if you can’t even be trusted in the smallest of things?
How much are you willing to take the ‘narrow’ steep difficult lonely path? Do you trust Him enough to go with Him listening to His instructions on His adventures… only?
Lead on Jesus!