“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult. Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT)
When I was a little girl there was a popular country song that played on the radio. It was called “I Beg Your Pardon” by Lynn Anderson. (I realize that admitting that I know this song seriously dates me.) The chorus goes like this:
I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There's gotta be a little rain some time
We walk through this life and get frustrated because sometimes it just feels so hard. And we complain. We expected it to be easier. If I am following the Almighty God and he can do anything, why doesn’t he do something to make this better?
I wonder if God is saying “I beg your pardon? I never promised you a rose garden.” And he didn’t. In Matthew he tells the disciples clearly “But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult.” That gateway to life is the road we follow when we choose Jesus.
If you look at the people in the Bible, I can’t think of one who had a life that was amazing and free of difficulties. There isn’t one that chooses God, is blessed and then dies saying “That was easy.” Can you? Let’s face it. Stuff happens to everyone (that’s the effect of sin in our world.) We just think because we are Christ-followers it shouldn’t happen to us.
Instead of asking “Why?” maybe the question we should be asking is “Why not?” We are told we are in a battle. We are told that The Liar is trying to mess with us. We should expect that this life is not going to be easy. Then, we should remember that while Jesus said it would be hard, he also said “I’m in it with you. I’ve not gone anywhere. I’m right here. Trust me.”
I think as we contemplate the magnitude of His Presence in our lives, the gift we’ve been given, that would be the time to ask “Why?”