“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”
– Matthew 7:13
These words were spoken by Jesus, as He preached to His disciples and to others listening to Him. He compelled them to make choices that the rest of the world wouldn’t understand – difficult choices that few would make.
Jesus was saying that the popular route is generally the one that leads to destruction. And His path is narrow, and very often full of obstacles.
It’s easy to understand the meaning of the verse when we read through it.
It’s also probably easy to assume that you are already on the narrow path, and that the choices you are making are the right ones.
Especially if you have put your faith in Jesus, it is easy to believe that you will completely make it through the narrow gate.
But it’s only if we take a closer look at our lives, especially through the lens of Scripture, that we begin to realize that we may have some problems.
It could be anything – an addiction – drugs, pornography, alcohol, physical abuse, stealing, murder.
Or it could be something that isn’t so obvious – things within your heart – hate, unforgiveness, pride, envy, resentment, anger, lust, gossip.
And it is important to realize that the not-so-obvious sins are just as effective at keeping you from entering through the narrow gate, as the obvious ones.
You see, your pride is too wide to fit through the narrow gate.
Your resentment and unforgiveness are too wide to fit through the narrow gate.
Your anger is too wide, your envy is too wide, your lust, your gossiping, your addictions, your hate – they are all way too wide to fit through the narrow gate.
They are too heavy for you to carry, and too wide to walk through the gate with.
But there is good news. You don’t have to carry it – not anymore.
You can let go, and drop it right now. And you can nail it to the Cross.
You don’t have to ‘try-so-hard’ to give up your sin.
It doesn’t have to be your burden anymore. You can be free.
Because Jesus can take it all away, if only you will give it to Him.
And you will find that you don’t have that burden anymore, and that you can walk through the narrow gate.
Drop that heavy, wide sin and burden, no matter how small it may seem to you right now. Drop it, and let go.
Enter through the narrow gate.
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