With the PGA Championship taking place in Charlotte, NC this weekend, I’m excited to have the golf world in my city! Quail Hollow is a well-regarded course that routinely hosts the Wells Fargo Championship, but this year the spotlight is even bigger as they host a major.

With a three hole stretch known as “The Green Mile,” Quail Hollow’s 16-18 are considered as three of the most difficult holes that finish a round on the PGA Tour.

Rory McIlroy said, “It’s a tough stretch, one of the toughest stretches that we play all year.”

Dustin Johnson explained, “But yeah, I mean, having three tough finishing holes in a major, you know, you know that most likely it’s going to come down to those last three holes. Having a good game plan, a good strategy, and executing obviously is going to be the big key.”

Between the water, bunkers, and length, players can’t take these holes lightly and must be ready to finish strong. They have to remain focused on the green, alert to their caddie’s instruction, and stay in the fairway…otherwise they’ll end up in a sand trap or water hazard.

This is a great parallel to our lifelong walk with Jesus. Sometimes we get off to a great start where things are really clicking, we’re “hitting birdies,” and we’re on fire for the Lord.

Although not every hole is easy, a golfer wins a tournament when he remains determined to overcome the setbacks and finish strong – even when it gets tougher at the end.

Likewise, when we follow Jesus through the remainder of our lives, we must finish each “round” strong by avoiding the traps and hazards that could trip us up. When we stay in the “fairway” God has made clear, we’ll be able to handle the difficult “holes” we must endure.

Dustin Johnson’s advice for handling “The Green Mile” is also helpful to us: “Having a good game plan, a good strategy, and executing obviously is going to be the big key.”

However, in order to live a life fully devoted to Jesus, we must ultimately remain in Him and stay connected to the source.

Jesus explains in John 15:4-5 (NLT), “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

A life of faith is quite the journey! When “The Green Mile” approaches, let’s encourage and challenge one another to remain in Jesus, so we won’t unravel…and finish strong.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as I go through each season of life, help me remain in Jesus and continue to follow Your Word, so I stay where I’m supposed to be. I pray I wouldn’t find myself in the traps and hazards, but rather experience the amazing fruit of a life well lived in Your will. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.