Take the narrow gate

I've found one of the most significant and beneficial choices in life is the choice to take the narrow gate or the narrow way over the easy way. 

On Dec. 26, 2023, I decided to blog every day in 2024. Well, I made it to July, and it hasn't been easy. I missed several days and needed to make those up. There were many days when I felt like quitting, asking myself, what was the point of this. I've tried to find a set time each day to hear from the Lord and blog, but that hasn't happened. Some days work out that way, but others not so much.

If nothing else, I need to maintain this in my life that keep me focused on doing something for others. There have been times in my life where much of what I did was other focused with family, work, church leadership, teaching, and small groups. Life has a way of changing from one season to another. The temptation to withdraw into a self-focused life can be powerful especially as we get older and begin to feel like we've done our part. 

It's been difficult the past few years for me to not fall into that trap. I thank God for the Holy Spirit who has made me aware of this pattern over and over again. He gives me the knowledge and the power to overcome, but I have to make the choice to engage. The choices you make can be deceiving. We may not wake up one day and decide to live for ourselves, but we may delay taking action to engage in serving others. We may also fall into a habit of making small, seemingly insignificant choices for self that lead us further and further away from others. Then we begin to withdraw from the people and activities that remind us of our obligation to serve others and Christ has and is still serving us.

If you find yourself in that position, then it's time for you to fight. Don't give up and slide further into that destructive self-focused existence. You need to fight your way back one decision at a time if necessary. You won't feel like doing it and you will be tempted to keep putting it off, but you have to keep moving forward anyway. Start by finding one thing you can do for others and do it. Then keep doing it. This is what it means to choose the narrow gate or the more difficult path over and over again. It may not seem like the best choice at the time, but it's always worth it.

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