Many people wonder where the joy is in life. They go about their daily lives, trying to make enough money to cover their bills and they hope that maybe there is enough money left over at the end of the week to enjoy a night out on the town or buy themselves that new jacket or whatever it is they have been wanting. A lot of people do not have that extra money left at the end of the week to “enjoy” that extra bit of life. Some people just watch their bank account dwindle to nothing two days after payday. If you are focused solely on trying to get ahead and you are unable to, this can become quite stressful.

The mentality of needing to get ahead to feel good is poisonous. People should not need to have more of something to feel satisfied, unless of course its food or water or something essential to live. Our society is very focused on materialistic things that make you feel good when you have them, but they in the long run do not satisfy your soul. Oh you might get a little dopamine rush and it feels good for a bit but that little rush is going to go away.

I do not know about you, but I want my soul to be happy and the only way I have found that can happen is to get right with God and allow him to take control of things in my life. Taking that narrow path through that little gate that you can hardly see, is the best thing you can do for your soul.

God see’s you walk through that little gate and He fires up the chainsaw and starts clearing the path for you. If you are like me, you have probably opened the gate several times but left it open in case you need to run back to that wide comfortable road that’s waiting just back there. The wide comfortable road with the paved sidewalks and maybe even a bike lane. The enemy wants you to leave that gate open so that he has a way in, he see’s that you have a weakness and he will jump in front of you and tell you that it’s okay to turn around. After all, you would not want to scratch your arm on that branch hanging there, now would you?

I have found that now is the time to kick that gate open and slam it shut, double check that latch is closed and maybe even take that chain that you have been hanging onto and wrap it around the posts to make sure that gate is not going to open up by accident. Run, do not walk, down that narrow path and do not worry about those little scratches you might get along the way, because those scratches are there to remind you that you chose the narrow path. They are the war wounds you can be proud of, that you took the path less traveled, you seasoned veteran you.

Just remember that God is there to guide you through life every step of the way. When it feels like nothing is going right for you and you just want to give up, don’t. You are on the cusp of something great, God has been preparing you all your life and He will place you right where you need to be.

Something you need to remember is that good things do not usually come easy, if you have to work for something, it ends up being totally worth it.

(Mathew 7:13-14)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

“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.”