Working Mother- Are You Walking the Narrow Road?

When I was in church this past weekend, the Pastor preached about a lot of different things, but something that stood out to me is when he talked about "the narrow road" that we decide to walk on as Christians...

That stuck to my soul and I began to chew on it...

You have to wonder why anyone would choose to walk down a narrow road, when a wide one is available?

You have to wonder why God would choose to send His loved ones, His precious children, down a road that has such tight boundaries, could be seen even as rigid, or restrictive, one that presses IN, maybe even causes us to slow down as to be sure we are walking right and centered?...

When on the flip side, a wide road, sounds like something we could run through, spin around in, maybe not be so lonely because there is more room for others, maybe more room to breathe, to expand, to swerve and to dance...why not that road?

I love to study passages in the Bible by comparing two versions side by side and then by looking at a Commentary. This is a simple way to study and brings about some rich stuff. Check this out:

Matthew 7:13-14

NIV	The Message
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.	13-14 “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

My summary:
Narrow Gate: leads to life, only a few find it, requires vigor and requires total attention.

Wide Gate: leads to destruction, many enter through it, is for those who are trying to find a shortcut to God and provides false promise to be easygoing and lead to success.

Now let me ask you Working Mama- does the way you are walking...does it require vigor? Does it require total attention? Are you finding that you feel pressed in, restricted, a bit slowed down because of the requirements of this life you are living?

Does walking with the Lord as a Working Mama- bring you to your knees, push you closer to God, narrow your focus so that you keep your eyes on the prize?

If so- then you my sister are walking on a path leading to LIFE.

Life in Christ means less of you and more of Him.

And remembering that all Moms are working Moms, we KNOW that staying home with littles provides just as narrow of a path as our SAHM-friends are pushed and pressed by those little ones who certainly keep them on their knees and push them closer to God...

When I look further into my study Bible, I am led to
Acts 14:21-22:
" ²¹ They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, ²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. "

As Moms, we "preach the gospel" in many ways, right? Sometimes not even with words, but with the way we live our lives...are we choosing to live our lives in a way that shows the truth of the gospel to those around us?

If we are- may we be like the apostles and win a large number of disciples! We may never see it, but we are making disciples when we live out the truths of the gospel in our homes, our workplace, our community...

And what do we need to do- from one Mom to another- we need to strengthen each other and encourage each other to remain true to the faith because we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God-

Amen? Do we not GET THIS every single day?

Let me tell you what Matthew Henry has to say about this passage in Acts concerning hardships:

Hardships will..."help to confirm them (the disciples), and fix them for Christ"...

He says-

"We must go down to trouble, but we shall come up again."

 "We shall not only get through it, but get through it into the kingdom of God;..."

 "... and the joy and glory of the end will make abundant amends for all the difficulties and hardships we may meet with in the way..."

 "It is true we must go by the cross, but it is as true that if we keep in the way, and do not turn aside nor turn back, we shall go to the crown, and the believing prospect of this will make the tribulation easy and pleasant."

Did you hear that? The hardship, the tribulation, the narrow road will be made easy and pleasant when we believe in the prospect of what is to come...

And do you know what else that Pastor said that got me thinking, he said-
" When is the last time you thought about Heaven? What would your day look like, feel like, if you kept your mind on Heaven?"

Just want to pass on these thoughts and encouragements to you sisters...walk down the narrow road keeping your eyes on Heaven. Do it. You got this!

Love you!

Liz