Strait And Narrow

We sometimes tend to think of the straitness and narrowness of the strait and narrow path as at best an inconvenience and at worst a major sacrifice. It can be hard, we might say, to stay on that narrow path without ever deviating. Sticking to the strait and narrow path is making us miss out and give up on so many things. The strait and narrow path is the bitter medicine we have to swallow to hope for some intangible and nebulous blessings down the road. But the fact that the covenant path is so strait and narrow is actually one of its greatest strengths. If you speak a second language and someone out of curiosity asks you to say “something” in that language, do you ever freeze up? It’s like, what do you mean, say “something”? There’s literally an infinite combination of words I could say. But if someone asks how to say something specific you can immediately give them the phrase in that language. So much of our lives today is flooded with countless different options and it can be exhausting trying to make a decision. We might decide to sit down to watch something on Netflix for the night, and spend the whole night just scrolling through the thousands of shows and never watch anything. If we want to go on a diet, or know the best way to raise our children, or invest in a cryptocurrency, there are thousands and thousands of options, all backed and propounded by individuals and organizations who are convinced that theirs is the best and the others are all garbage. Isn’t it comforting to know that there is a simpler way? A way that cuts through all of the noise and confusion. We need only make one important choice, to follow the Savior on the strait and narrow path, and that one decision can color and inform the many other smaller choices that we need to make. If we are committed to staying on the strait and narrow path, then we will be blessed with the constant and guiding light and companionship of the Spirit, which can give us the confidence and courage to always choose in a way that is consistent with that strait and narrow path.The straitness and narrowness of the path is not a bug, it’s a feature. It’s what makes embarking on the path worth it in the end.