The Hidden Carry: Looking Back to Move Forward

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​It is so easy to get lost in the immediate terrain—the steep hills we’re currently climbing or the fog of a difficult week—that we forget to look back at the horizon. But there is profound power in the simple act of stopping to notice the distance already covered. What a distance that might be! 

​When we strip away the noise and focus on the truth of the journey, we are often met with a beautiful, humbling realisation that we need to: Take a moment and look at how far God has brought us.

​The Evidence of Grace

​In the New Testament, the apostle Paul captures this sentiment perfectly in 1 Corinthians 15:10:

​"By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain."

​Turn around and look at the trail behind you. You are a survivor of seasons that felt like they would break you. So am I. If the Lord has been watching over you your current standing isn't an accident. In fact there are no accidents. His sustained divine support is ever present to those who are His and even those of another pasture in the form of his common all loving grace. We can joke that looking back isn't what it use to be. Ah nostalgia. But, this isn't about dwelling on the past; it’s about gathering the evidence of faithfulness to fuel our courage for the future. And to say a yes, amen and thank you Jesus! 

​The Hidden Carry

​The famous "Footprints in the Sand" poem reminds us that our survival wasn't a solo act. It describes a traveler looking back at the beach of their life and noticing that during the lowest, saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. The revelation is profound: “It was then that I carried you.”

​The very fact that you are standing here today, looking back at those "impossible" stretches, is the proof that you were sustained. If you had been walking on your own strength during those "single footprint" seasons, the trail would have ended there. The distance you have covered is a testament to the tireless strength of the One who refuses to leave you behind.

​A Space for Wonder and Inquiry

​Rather than rushing to a conclusion,  let us sit with the "Inner Light" and reflect on our own respective journeys through these two invitations:

​A Godly Play Style Wondering

​"I wonder if the times you felt most alone were actually the moments you were being held most closely?"


​A British Quaker Query

​"Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts, which are the leadings of God. Trust the Spirit to guide and strengthen you." (Advice & Query 1)


​A Closing Prayer

​Lord, thank You for being the strength in my legs when I had none left. When I look back at my life, help me to see not just the distance covered, but the moments Your grace picked me up. Thank You for carrying me through the valleys I thought would be my end. I rest in the knowledge that You are carrying me even now. Amen.

​Proceed as way opens.

Join the Journey

​I wonder which part of this reflection spoke to your heart today?

​Whether you are in a season of "two footprints" or you feel you are currently being carried, I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts or your own "wonderings" in the comments below. Let us be a community that notices the "way opening" for one another.


​Note on "Proceed as way opens": This traditional Quaker phrase encourages us to move forward with patience. Rather than forcing a path or over-planning, we wait for the "opening"—a sense of peace or a clear opportunity—that reveals the next right step in its own time.


*Image from: SocialFuel.Church

A Highland Theological College graduate and non-conformist follower of Jesus living at the crossroads of neurodiversity and faith. Writing through the lens of the proverbial Forest Parish on the wild grace of the Gospel.

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