Have you ever wondered how Christians keep on going through all the trials, both large and small that they encounter. In the Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian embarks on a journey, full of trials and triumphs,to reach heaven. During his journey Christian meets many people, both friend and foe. He is helped and mislead both by others and by himself. Leaving his family and friends, Christian seeks the Celestial City, because he knows it is everlasting and that his hometown and its people will eventually come to ruin. He is also given a burden to carry.
Christians first difficulty is the Slough of Despond, many previous pilgrims have been weighed down there by their doubts and fears. With some difficulty Christan manages to make it through the Slough of Despond. Christian is next tempted by the enticements of the Village of Morality, which offers an easy-going life with no difficulties, but is quickly dissuaded from this by the Evangelist. With the Evangelists help, Christian manages to make it to the Wicket Gate. After knocking and stating his purpose Christian is allowed to enter. He is advised to take the narrow way and told to stop at the Interpreter’s House.
After stopping at the Interpreter’s House, where Christian was shown many wonderful things to help him succeed on his journey, Christian comes to the cross. At the Cross Christian is relieved of his burden. Next Christian comes to Difficulty Hill where he chooses to take the narrow path straight up the hill, rather than taking one of the side paths, which unbeknownst to him lead to destruction. Part way up the hill Christian comes to a resting place for Pilgrims, where he drifts off to sleep and drops his scroll.
After awaking Christian continues his journey up the hill, nly to realize he has lost his scroll. Having made it to the top of the hill, Christian is forced to go back and retrieve his scroll. After this, Christian returns to the top of the hill and makes his way to Palace Beautiful. Here Christian stays the night, and is given armor to continue his journey with in the morning. If I had been on the journey with Christian, my name would have been stubborn, and we would have met in the Valley of Humiliation. After defeating Apollyon, Christian would have seen me fighting my own battle with the Wayward Pilgrims.
They were trying to convince me to join them and had been for hours. Being stubborn, I had refused to stop on my way up difficulty hill, resulting in my being scratched up, and having a broken foot. Having not stopped to rest, eat, or drink I had continued on past Beautiful Palace until I finally collapsed in the Valley of Humiliation. After coming somewhat to my senses, I found the Wayward Pilgrims standing around me. They asked about my journey and after hearing my story had tried to dissuade me from continuing my journey, promising friendships and no difficulties.
Being unable to continue forward I was forced to listen to them and stay stubborn in my faith until Christian came along and helped. Seeing my need Christian came over and provided me with food and water to help me regain my strength. Being unable to discourage the Wayward Pilgrims, Christian helped me get up and moving so we could leave them behind. We moved slowly, but eventually made it to the Valley of the Shadow of Death. There we met with men who wished to discourage us from continuing, saying that the way was filled with dangers, and too dark to see the path, But Christian and I being set on our journey continued on.
In the Valley of the Shadow of Death there was on one side a quag, no man could get out of, and on the other a very deep ditch, the path was very narrow, and we were forced to walk slowly lest we fall to either side. A few miles in we came to the mouth of Hell and using the weapon of All-Prayer were able to safely make our way onward. Being so confused as to not know our own voices we were easily tricked into thinking we had said sinful things. We then heard a voice say “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.
Coming half way through the Valley of the Shadow of death the sun began to come up, showing what we had faced and lighting the second part of our journey. Coming to a hill Christian spotted Faithful, and cried out for him to wait, but Faithful replied no because the avenger of Blood was upon him. Christian being then undiscouraged urged me to move faster so that we might reach Faithful. We overtook Faithful, and then Christian in his haste stumbled and fell, unable to get up. Since I was still too weak to help him up, we were forced to wait for Faithful to come and help.
Faithful helped Christian up, and then we continued our journey as companions. We discussed our journeys thus far. I told of how I left my home with two companions, but lost one at the Village of Morality, and the other just outside the Wicket Gate to Beelzebub. I then told of how I continued on my journey making my way to the interpreter’s house, and all the things I saw there. Afterwards I told of my journey up Difficult hill and how I was injured and stubborn in my quest to keep going. I then told of the Valley of Humiliation, and the trial | faced there and then how Christian came to my aid.
I let Christian take it from there and listened to his and Faithful’s stories. After telling our stories, we were met by the Evangelist. He told us that two of us would not make it past Vanity Fair, but would be killed. The Fair was an old tradition started many years ago by Beelzebub and Apollyon to tempt pilgrims on their journey. In Vanity Fair we were tempted in many ways, and put on trial for refusing to indulge in the pleasures they offered. We were asked where we came from and where we were going. We said we “were pilgrims and strangers in the world,” and that we were going to the Celestial City.
We were then thrown in prison and mistreated, but through it all we acted with grace and kindness. This caused more upheaval with the townsfolk, as some offered us their sympathy and others grew more angry. We were blamed for this also even though we had done no wrong. At the trial both, Faithful and I were tried and killed. They did many terrible things to us eventually burning us at the stake. Faithful and I were both taken to the Celestial City, where we spent our days with the Lord, and eventually Christian and his new companion Hopeful joined us.
I would not have been a great help to Christian, but I would have aided in showing Christ to Hopeful, and the others at Vanity Fair. I also would have been able to strengthen Christian and Faithful with my story, just as they would have Strengthened me. Ultimately they would have helped my faith more than I helped theirs. They would have been fellow Pilgrims to help me walk through my faith and strengthen and encourage me to use my stubbornness for the good of the Lord, rather than let it be a weapon for Satan.