In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord famously said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Mt. 7:13-14).
Lent challenges us to choose the harder road once again. We can only accept the challenge by bringing our hearts to love — the love that God always has waiting for us. The more we experience this love and integrate it into our lives, the more compassion we will show to ourselves and others.
This is a very powerful secret of spiritual growth. Honestly ask yourself whether you are giving yourself the same understanding, acceptance, forgiveness, and affirmation that God offers you in Jesus Christ.
None of us do this well enough. We’re all beginners and novices at learning to love ourselves as thoroughly and unconditionally as God does, but as we develop some basic skills in this area, we see the quality of our lives improve, and we become more loving to others.
This is why we need to keep learning and growing as we walk the Christian path. For the wide gate and the easy road beckon us in countless ways, and we’re continually tempted to abandon the narrow way. If we want to keep moving toward abundant and eternal life, commitment and discipline are required.
This Sunday, we’ll explore in more detail how bringing our hearts to love can help us continue the journey in joyful, fulfilling ways.
Love and blessings,
Evan Howard,
Minister