The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel

When Jonathan Edwards, the fiery preacher of the Great Awakening, declared, “The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh,” he was not simply describing the difficulty of faith, but unveiling the eternal law of spiritual growth. His words, forged in the heat of revival, remind us that the highest blessings are never found on level ground. To ascend is to struggle, to sweat, to resist gravity, both of earth and of self. The path to the summit of eternal joy is steep, yet its height is glorious beyond imagining.

The meaning of ascending is both literal and spiritual. Just as the traveler must climb to reach a mountain’s peak, so the soul must endure trial and resistance to draw nearer to Heaven. Edwards teaches that the journey is hard and tiresome, not because Heaven is cruel, but because our flesh—our natural inclinations—pull us downward toward ease, indulgence, and comfort. To climb against that pull is to embrace discipline, to fight weakness, to press on with courage when the body begs to rest.

History offers luminous examples of this truth. Consider Hannibal, who led his army, elephants and all, across the frozen Alps into Italy. Many fell, and the path was nearly impassable, yet because he endured the ascent, he achieved a feat that stunned the ancient world. In the same way, the spiritual warrior must climb mountains of temptation, doubt, and weariness, knowing that the view from the summit repays every step. The Alps of the soul are steep, but only those who climb behold the promised land of peace.

The origin of Edwards’ imagery is deeply biblical. Christ himself declared, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life.” The early Church Fathers often spoke of the Christian life as a ladder, each rung demanding effort, patience, and humility. Edwards, steeped in these teachings, calls us not to despise the uphill struggle, but to embrace it as proof that we are moving toward the heights. A level road may seem easy, but if it leads downward, it carries us not to Heaven, but away from it.

Yet Edwards’ words also ring with encouragement. The climb may be hard, but it is not endless toil. Each upward step brings the soul nearer to light. The very resistance we feel—the strain against the bias of the flesh—is evidence that the soul is alive and striving. Just as a seed breaks the soil against resistance to reach the sun, so the human heart must fight its way upward into truth and virtue. Without that struggle, no growth is possible.

So, dear listener, the lesson is this: do not despair when the way is steep. Do not curse the sweat upon your brow or the weariness in your limbs. These are signs that you are on the upward road. If you find your journey always easy, always comfortable, beware—you may be descending rather than ascending. Greatness of soul is not given to the idle, but to the climber who endures.

In practical action, this means: embrace discipline in small things, for they prepare you for great trials. Rise early to prayer or reflection, even when your body resists. Choose honesty when deceit seems easier. Forgive when your pride whispers vengeance. Each act is a step uphill. Do not measure progress only by speed, but by direction. The summit is reached not in a day, but by steadfast climbing, one choice at a time.

Thus Edwards’ words live on as a call to perseverance: “The way to Heaven is ascending.” Let us then set our hearts upon the climb, finding joy even in the struggle, for every upward step is a victory over the flesh, a triumph of the spirit, and a movement toward eternal light. And when at last we stand upon the summit, we shall see that every drop of sweat was but a pearl purchased for glory.