The Narrow Path:

If you’ve ever taken the Henday at rush hour, you know the temptation of the wide road. Big lanes. Smooth pavement. Fast traffic. It feels like freedom, until you miss your exit or get stuck behind brake lights stretching for miles. The wide road may be easy, but it doesn’t always lead where you hoped to go.

Now picture the backroads around St. Albert. The ones that wind through farmland, narrow and often unmarked. Slower. Quieter. Demanding more attention. You don’t get to autopilot. You have to know where you’re going, and you have to stay alert.

Jesus once said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13–14).

That’s a difficult truth. The wide road is appealing. Our culture is full of big, bright signs telling us what to chase—success, comfort, approval, and pleasure. These promises show up in storefronts at the mall, ads on Ray Gibbon Drive, and even in the quiet comparisons we make as we scroll through social media. The world is loud about what it says will bring us life.

But Jesus’ road often leads a different direction.

The narrow path doesn’t follow the crowd. It calls us to follow Christ. It doesn’t always look impressive, but it is full of purpose. It asks us to forgive when we’d rather hold a grudge. To serve when we feel like resting. To speak truth in love when silence would be safer. It’s not about keeping up appearances. It’s about keeping in step with Jesus.

There are days when this path feels steep. Days when obedience costs more than we thought. Days when we’d rather take the spiritual bypass and coast. But the narrow path leads to life. Not just eventually, but even now.

Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” That’s what we’re after. Not just a clear conscience, but a life of joy, direction, and deep peace, even when the road is difficult.

So, let me ask: Where is your heart headed right now? Which road are your habits, your calendar, and your choices leading you down?

Let’s be people who choose the narrow road. People who are willing to slow down, walk wisely, and stay the course when others rush past. Let’s fix our eyes on Christ and follow Him, even when the way is hard to find.

The narrow road is not always comfortable. But it is always worth it.

Keep walking. One faithful step at a time.