The Great Smokey Mountain National Park has millions of visitors every year. The park has many trails to walk. Some of the most popular and accessible paved trails, such as the path to Laurel Falls. In the early evening, many slowly drive bumper-to-bumper around Cades Cove to glimpse whitetail deer and black bears. But there are also trails that few know about and less traveled roads. One such trail leads back to another waterfall. The trail is difficult but not extreme. It is not paved, so care must be taken to avoid rocks and roots. There are other folks on the trail, but only a few. It’s not uncommon to be the only ones at the falls when the trail ends. There are rewards for not following the crowd.
As Jesus begins to wrap up His sermon, he says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” (Matthew 7:13–14, CSB) Following Christ is filled with love, joy, and peace, but it is not easy. The Jesus Way demands that we lay down our own wants and desires, our very life, so that we may live in Him (see Romans 6:1-11).
We may think that God abandoned us during the tough parts of the trail. He didn’t. We often don’t realize this truth until we look back later and see how His grace and love upheld us in our darkest moments.
We enter the path through Jesus; He is the one and only way (John 14:5-6). We are not blazing a new trail, but neither is it a wide paved road. There are times when it is easy to walk and times that challenge our faith. We are not alone, but neither is it crowded. While we know the destination, it is a trail full of discovery and surprises. Isaiah prophesied, “Your eyes will see your Teacher, and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21, CSB)
How do you know you’re on the right trail? Going the right way? Where did you start? Who are you following? Is it Jesus or a preacher, or a hope for a better life? What do you do when the way becomes difficult? What is the destination? The answer to those questions will tell you whether you’re going the right way or not. The trail of faith begins and ends with Jesus.
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