~ written by Connie Dunmyer
"Footprints in the Sand"
One night I had a dream. . . I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord,
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;
one belong to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.”
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never, ever leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints. . .
It was then that I carried you.”
In my Monday’s Yield, “Step-by-Step”, I discussed how promise-glimpses and endurance can help us to "not lose heart". Because of God’s mercy upon us, He is transforming us, step by step and day by day into the image of Jesus. I’d like to continue in that vein with a continuation Paul’s words in his second letter to the Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. . . .
I am a clay pot, an easily broken, everyday vessel, created this way to show the all-surpassing power of God. Having already written about clay pots in “Power in Pottery”, and even though I would like to cozy up to verse 7, I will move on to verse 8.
Pressed. Perplexed. Persecuted. Struck down. No wonder Paul started with the verse 7. These are painful words, and even more painful feelings. At first I tend to shy away and avoid those words. But then I realize my focus needs to be on verse 18 (yes, again): “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen.”
Each of the “seen” words is painful – but they are followed by a Promise of the “unseen” part.
Hard pressed on every side – so literally squished.
The Promise? Not crushed.
Huh? That sounds like an oxymoron.
So I looked up some of the words.
KJV: 8 We are troubled [pressed] on every side, yet not distressed [straitened]; …”
Crushed is not really the right word here. Straitened is more explanatory.
Definition of Straiten:
- To make narrow. In narrow circuit, straitened by a foe.
- To contract; to confine; as, to straiten the British commerce.
- To make tense or tight; as, to straiten a cord.
- To distress; to perplex; to press with poverty or other necessity; as, a man straitened in his circumstances.
- To press by want of sufficient room. Waters when straitened, as at the falls of bridges, give a roaring noise.
Here’s another instance in the Bible of this word “straitened”, with the definition of hindered or impeded:
Proverbs 4:11-12 “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be STRAITENED; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.”
So let’s go back.
I am hard pressed or troubled, but I am not confined, hindered, constrained, or impeded. Although this is very uncomfortable – and it’s coming from all sides, one thing after another after another after another – God is PROMISING it will not STRAITEN me, will not be a constraint, a hindrance, an impediment. So by all appearances (that which is seen), it may look like all is lost. BUT this is not the end of the story. There is hope in the “unseen”.
Let’s continue: “We are perplexed, but not in despair.”
Well, I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I’ve felt despair. So back to the dictionary I go.
Definition of perplexed: completely baffled.
Definition of despair: to lose or be without hope.
God IS my hope. I cannot lose God. He is with me always. If I have God, I have hope. Not a feeling – but a decision.
So I can say, although I am completely baffled as to what is happening, why it’s happening, and how I’m ever going to get through it … I know I am never alone and I can trust God with all those things that perplex me. And because He is strong and He is good, He is my hope for my today and my future.
Verse 9: 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down [cast down, smitten], but not destroyed.
I may be oppressed, abused, even victimized. But I am never alone. For those who don’t have a close relationship with Jesus, I know that sounds like fanciful words. But they are true words. I cannot explain it. It’s not a ritual or a formula. But when I need Jesus, He knows before I do, and He is right here with me. Sometimes literally holding me upright.
And on the days I do fall down (I am a clay pot after all)… He does not look at me with disgust, and throw this ol’ cracked pot away. He fixes me. He picks me up, carries and fixes me. Why? I do not know, except that He loves me. He loves you. He loves all of us. It’s hard to comprehend sometimes. But this is what He does and Who He is.
Most of this all happens as unseen for the most part.
Being carried.
Being renewed.
But eventually, everything that gets fixed on the inside, will become known on the outside, the seen parts of me.
Thus, in faith, I can say along with Paul:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Find More "Yield" Articles | Get Future "Yield" Delivered to Your Inbox
© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.