Righteousness will go before Him and shall make His footsteps our pathway. Psalm 85:13 NKJV

The Bible often compares our Christian life to a walk. But it’s no easy stroll. It’s an arduous hike requiring perseverance. When we begin our walk with God, we’re like infants taking their first steps. Picture it. We are filled with glee – but we don’t know quite what we are doing. But as we mature, this changes and our footsteps become more stable, firm, determined.

The Appalachian Trail is approximately 2,200 miles long, winding up and down and through rugged mountains from Georgia to Maine. It takes thru-hikers an average of 165 rigorous days to make the trip, and it requires about 5,500 calories a day to sustain their strength. That’s equivalent to nearly 10 Big Macs daily. Hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in one summer is grueling, but it simply requires putting one foot in front of the other – about five million times.

If you’re tired on the trail, don’t give up. The Bible tells us He has gone before us, and we’re simply walking in His footsteps. And Psalm 86:11 offers this prayer: “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”

Adapted, Dr. David Jeremiah