Let’s face it: the Christian walk is hard. It’s not—and shouldn’t be—easy to walk the straight and narrow way.
Matthew 7:13-14, ESV, warns us of this, saying, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
As Christians, we are those who have found it. We know that the narrow road we tread leads to life, an eternity spent with God. The reward we’ll find at the end of our journey will be immense.
But the Bible cautions us that the going is hard, and we must be prepared for those challenges that come.
Thankfully, we have a guide on our path to eternity, to life. We have been given the Bible as our helper. We don’t have to walk the narrow way clueless and downtrodden. No, when the going gets tough, we can find the encouragement we need to keep going in God’s Word.
The Bible is Our Teacher
I’m sure most of you are familiar with this passage, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Teaching, reproving, correcting, and training in righteousness all work to make us complete. This means that by the Spirit of God through scripture we are completely equipped for our walk on the narrow way. We have all the tools we need.
In order to be taught by the Bible, though, we need to be willing to learn. Our human nature is stubborn and doesn’t want to accept help. We want to be self-sufficient. Instead, we need to rely on God, not ourselves. This requires a change in mindset.
To be complete, we need to admit that we are incomplete apart from Christ’s work in our lives. We need to soak up what we read in the Bible and implement it! We need to humble ourselves before the Word of God. Remember, we are weak, but our Heavenly Father is strong. He wants the best for His children, and part of His best for us is the growth and instruction that can only come from His Word.
The Bible is Our Comforter
Sometimes we all need a good cry. I have times when I’m balled up on my bed, shedding tears of pain, sorrow, frustration, and penitence.
The Bible is a comfort in every trouble, every painful moment.
Whether we’re confused, lost, or depressed we can turn to the Bible as our comforter. Open to a verse in the Psalms and hear the psalmist crying out for God’s mercy (look at Psalm 143). Flip to a verse in Romans and remind yourself of God’s wonderful forgiveness (see Romans 8:1).
The Bible tells us we should mourn for our sin (see Matthew 5:4). When we realize our sin, we should go to the Father and ask for forgiveness, which He bestows only because of the sacrifice of Christ. What a comfort the forgiveness of sins is!
Psalm 119:76, ESV, states, “Let Your steadfast love comfort me according to Your promise to Your servant.”
God’s love is boundless, limitless, and is a comfort in every battle and every struggle. Embrace God’s Word and let it comfort you with the truth of His promises.
Later in Psalm 119, verse 105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
That light is your encouragement on the narrow and hard path. Let it guide you. Share the light of God’s Word with others, that they might see the narrow path and want to follow it to the Heavenly reward.
The Bible is Our Encouragement
Sometimes the narrow way seems so lonely and desolate. But let me assure you that you are not alone. When you fall, there is Someone who can pick you up. When you stumble, there is Someone to hold your hand and support you.
That Someone is God, who manifests Himself through the Bible.
Once again, Psalm 119 has encouragement for us. Verse 103 (ESV), states, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Honey is delicious, to be savored. That’s what we should remember when we approach God’s Word—that it’s to be slowly savored and meditated upon. That’s how we find encouragement within its pages.
When you feel down, turn to God’s Word first, and once again remember the love, the hope, and the peace that God grants. If you have time, explore Psalm 119. A good deal of the psalm is spent proclaiming God’s beautiful, flawless commandments and how important it is that we follow them.
The Bible is Our Armor
Ephesians 6:11, ESV states, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
Spiritual warfare is real. It’s something many of us, including myself, have experienced. The devil tries to pull us away from the truth.
But we are told in this verse how to resist him–by putting on the full armor of God. In the following verses, it lists the specific pieces of armor we should put on to protect ourselves: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of readiness given by the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and lastly, the piece of equipment mentioned in Ephesians 6:17: “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
That armor is our protection on the narrow path. Wear it gladly to protect yourself against the threats of Satan.
Our Unfailing Guide on the Narrow Path
The Bible is your teacher, your comforter, your encouragement, and your armor. Heed what the Bible teaches you. Take comfort in the Bible’s words. Be encouraged by the Word of God. And lastly, make sure that you wear the armor of God boldly.
Never, ever forget that the Bible is an unchanging, unfailing guide throughout your journey on the narrow path.
Thank you for sharing this with us! This is also the reason why going to church is so important: God uses your pastor to share the Bible. Sometimes, I hear an important verse for my life even though I didn’t knew the existence of that verse! The more you know about God’s Word, the stronger you are.
Thank you, Eran! Yes, respecting the Sabbath and learning from pastors at church strengthen our faith so, so much, and so does the fellowship with other believers. Thank you for that insight!