The path is straight and narrow

 

Well, I called my shot once again. 

Trying to play God with all His plans. 

Seems I thought the way it'd go, 

only shows I need more growth. 

Growing still I try to reach,

 a place where I can find my peace. 

 

The path is straight, and narrow

 

    Being in this world, and not of it, is a difficult thing to do. THE most difficult thing to do. When we finally realize the depth of the material piled on us in our lives we have a choice to make. The decision at this point is where faith is tested. Do we have the faith to know that something we are holding on to does not need to hold us? When we recognize the filth, do we have the faith that we can be made clean? And so it goes. We must have faith that when Jesus came to save us from this world of sin, that's exactly what he did. Christ asked us to follow Him. The path of the flesh and the path of the Spirit are not the same. 

Paul says in Galatians Ch. 5,

 ¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Whereas in the following verses speaking of Spirit, Ch. 5

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

    The work can be more difficult the deeper the pile of flesh that covers us. It can seem as though there is no escape from the temptations of this world. It can seem as though one is destined to the life one leads even if the filth is recognized. I felt this way for a long time in my life. My life had been in the dumps, that's where I unwittingly wanted to be. I felt like I didn't deserve to be happy because of mistakes I had made in my life up to that point. My penance would be a life long misery and I asked for it. That's exactly what I got. I was listening to all the thoughts that would bounce around in my head, and I kept myself in a state of inebriation to the point I thought all of the thoughts were true. 

    I hadn't had dental insurance all my life, therefore I wouldn't go to the dentist. I brushed my teeth and flossed occasionally. I had a smokeless tobacco habit, smoking habit, a coffee habit, etc. I truly believed that going to the dentist to only have someone else tell me my teeth were beyond repair was a waste of money. I was content with letting them fall out on their own. This is the depth that we will go to when we are in this fallen state. Well, in my waking up, I went to the dentist and decided I was going to just face the music. It took 4 different visits to do my cleaning and one crown, but after the dust had settled and the drills had stopped, to my astonishment my teeth and gums were in good health. There, underneath all of the plaque and filth were a set of perfect teeth. Praise God. 

    We can feel as though there is no possibility of redemption when we THINK about what we've done. When we THINK about theses things all of the lies come flooding in. What we THINK about our past transgressions is not for us to judge. Repentance is recognizing the path of the flesh when we are on it and turning to Spirit. When we are the presence of God, we don't have to think anymore. This means we aren't being lied to anymore. We stay present in the presence. When we follow the path of the Spirit, we do not allow the temptations of the flesh to dominate our lives anymore. There are so many things that we build and put value in while dealing with the flesh. Our ego believes we must have this or that, because it THINKS it does. This destructive mind set does exactly that, destroys. 

    I pray God works in your life just as he has mine. I pray you take the time to be still with God and know that all of the thoughts are only that, thoughts. They are not you. Be in prayer never ceasing. Be still and know that I am. 

I love you

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