Footprints: Does Jesus want to carry us when times are tough?

Does Jesus want to carry us when times are tough? This question is like those tests where we’re supposed to pick the “best” answer.  And “yes” is not the best answer!  I used to think it was, but I learned that it really isn’t.  There is one answer that’s better – although there are several answers that could start with “no, He wants …”

Curious?  Confused?

Let me try to help straighten out this question.  

I heard someone say that Jesus wants to carry us when times are tough.  Something felt not quite right about that.  So I was going over it, and finally realized what the issue that I had with it was.  

Before telling you what I concluded though, let’s look at my thought process.  As I said, there could be a number of possible answers, so let’s look at them.

Does Jesus want to carry us?

Before we proceed, when I say “best” answer – it’s maybe not the best answer ever.  It’s what went through my mind at one point, while writing this.  It’s appropriate to where I was in my walk of faith that day.  More on that later.

I wrote the first version of this (probably) around 2010. So much has happened since then. For many years, much of it wasn’t good. But then, there were things to balance out the bad with some good. And lately, I can see the good, even in the things don’t at first appear to be good at all. We’ll see how feelings changed over that time.

No – Jesus doesn’t want to carry us.

Some will be tempted (pun intended) to think this must be the correct answer, since I said “yes” wasn’t correct.  That kind of conclusion is along the lines of “Did God really say …” from the Garden of Eden.  That’s not actually what I said.  I said “yes” wasn’t the best answer.  In no way does that make “No – Jesus doesn’t want to carry us” the correct answer.  

No – Jesus doesn’t want to carry us, but He will if He has to.

This is a slight variation of the first choice, but it’s still not correct.  Just the thought that Jesus has to do anything is off the mark.  I mean seriously – Jesus is God.  He is God.  Things happen according to God’s will, allowing for our free will to make choices that may be good or bad.  But for us to think that Jesus has to carry us? That’s not a decision we can make for Him.

Yes – Jesus wants to carry us, if we ask Him to.

This one’s getting closer.  For those that know the poem Footprints, this answer may come to your mind.  For those that don’t know the poem, here it is –

From that last paragraph, it seems the answer is – yes, Jesus wants to carry us if we believe in Him.

Sounds good – doesn’t it?

I have to say, when I first saw Footprints, I was in a really bad place in my life.  I cried – right there in a store – when I read it.  It helped me.  A lot.  It’s good to know Jesus hasn’t deserted us, especially when it feels like that’s exactly what He’s done.

And yes – if we need to be carried, Jesus wants to do that. Notice, there is a difference between “if we need to be carried, Jesus wants to do that” and “Jesus doesn’t want to carry us, but He will if He has to“.

Is this an example of how Jesus wants to carry us when times are tough?

We can get a clue about that, by looking at this passage from Luke. It’s an exchange between Peter and Jesus, shortly after the Last Supper. I included the entire passage to give the full scope of what’s going on. Jesus is telling His disciples about His imminent death, initiating our Christian practice of Communion, and yet still taking time for Peter.

No, Peter didn’t know he was going to need to be carried. If anything, Peter thought he was going to be protecting Jesus – as if that could ever be necessary. And yet, in the midst of everything going on in the passage below, we see Jesus preparing Peter for just that event – a need to be carried.

So, the important portion for today’s topic and for this example is:

Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”

However, it’s still not the best answer.  

And of course, it’s God that decides whether we need to be carried or not.  It’s not our choice, because there may be a perfectly good reason for Jesus to not carry us at any given point in time.

We’re about to see one of the possible reasons.

No, Jesus would rather …

I purposely left off the last few words of the best answer, just as I purposely left off the last sentence in verse 32 above.  Let me give you the entire verse first, then see if you can finish the answer.

Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Yes – after Jesus carries us, and after Jesus puts us back down to walk again, and we walk alongside Him again, He wants us to do something.  We see here, Jesus says “strengthen your brothers”.

Do you make Jesus pray in vain?

Do you make Jesus pray in vain?  If you’re like me, the answer’s yes.  Way too often. Why does it matter? We’re still saved, aren’t we? What’s the big deal?

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However, we need to be strong enough ourselves to be able to do that.  And, oh – by the way, we cannot do it on our own.  We cannot do it by ourselves.  We need to have the desire, willingness, faith, and so on, to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us. Without that, on our part, the Holy Spirit cannot accomplish anything through us.

But maybe the hardest part to explain is that without the things we just looked at, Jesus cannot “carry us”.

And here’s where the “best” answer comes in.

An example of Jesus can/will carry us when times are tough …

Have you got it now?

While Jesus will carry us if we need to be carried, I believe His preference is that we grab hold of His hand, and walk alongside Him – doing things with the power we get from Him.

Conclusion – Does Jesus want to carry us when times are tough?

I wish I could take credit for that “best” answer. But I can’t. It goes to someone I had dinner with about a week ago. She’s a missionary who spends half of every year spreading the Gospel in a place where it’s really frowned on. It’s a place where people have been known to disappear for activity like that.

Before I leave you though, as promised earlier – when I say “best” answer – it’s maybe not the best answer ever. It’s what went through my mind one morning while I was working on this. It’s appropriate to where I was in my walk of faith at this time of my life. It may not be the “best” answer for you – at least not today. Maybe it will be on another day. Maybe there’s an even better answer for you today. After all, what’s “best” for you – that’s between you and God. My goal here is to get you beyond thinking the answer would be a simple “yes”.

One thing for sure – the answer is never “no”.

You may remember the last sentence from The Great Commission.

Notice especially the last part:

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Yes, Jesus gave us something to do. To reach out to others. And, as we saw in the passage with Peter – to help others with the problems we had – and that Jesus helped us turn around from. And yet – how often do we do that? Or de we just thank Jesus and then go on our merry way – healed, with the event forgotten? Or, maybe partially healed, but not enough so that we’re willing to share with others and therefore can’t help them?

But here’s the thing. When we commit our lives to Jesus, walk with Him – He really will never leave us.  He’ll do whatever it takes.  He died for us! What else could we possibly ask Jesus to do to prove how much He loves us and that He’ll take care of us?

Now, He wants us to be able to learn to walk with Him, not to be carried all the time. And certainly not to walk without Him.

And then, He wants us to walk with others.

Interim Conclusion – 2022 (five years later)

Now, at the end of 2022, my conclusion is the same. But, having said that, it’s a bit harder to reach that conclusion.

Christian and depressed. How is that possible?

The Bible says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. How is it then that we can be Christian and depressed? With all that love, joy, peace, Etc., is it really possible to still be depressed? From experience, I say absolutely yes.

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If you’ve read much of my stuff lately, you know I have problems with depression. And that I was diagnosed with prostate cancer three years ago. Surgery didn’t get all of it, so now I’m waiting, under what they call active surveillance, to see if/when treatment will start.

Add to that the fact that December is coming. Christmas is in 4 weeks.

Plus, it’s week one of Advent. The time to talk about hope.

Of course, it’s always people who hoped for something, prayed to God for it, and got what they prayed for. Not necessarily right away. But they got it. And maybe they needed some adjustments. But they got it.

But what if we don’t get what we prayed for?

Of course, I know the answers. The “church” answers. One like God is sovereign and will do what He wants. Sometimes the answer is no, although I don’t remember ever hearing or reading that for anything about Advent.

So as I wait for results from my quarterly blood tests, wondering if this will be the time when treatment, probably radiation, begins – and trying to not let depression get to me too much, as if that was possible – it is, well, it’s depressing.

Do Christians really know what “Christian Hope” is?

Do Christians really know what “Christian Hope” is?  Too often, in a word – no.
“Most of we Christians are blind to the truth of who we really are, and so are afraid to enter the valley of the shadow of death to find the light beyond it. Our hope is that we’ll find it in the next life and so remain powerless in this life, yes?”

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You see, the thing is, I also know, and believe, that the real hope isn’t getting the kinds of things we tend to pray for.

Advent is waiting for Jesus. A celebration and reminder of the first coming. And the Christian hope that goes with the second coming.

And then there’s the realization that the joy in my life comes from reaching out to people, like you for instance, to let you know about Jesus. And from helping the people in the classes I lead. From being open to allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me to accomplish those things.

Final thoughts – when times are tough

So yes, Jesus does carry me. Not to avoid problems, trials, troubles, Etc.

And not to make those things go away.

But rather, as He told Peter, so that I can strengthen my brothers and sisters. Or to help someone who doesn’t know the truth about Jesus to have the desire to find out about Him. Or take a second look at Him.

After all, that’s what Christian hope is really about.

Now, I’m going to skip ahead to July, 2026 to show my view of the poem, how my conclusions have changed/grown, all based on my experiences between 2022 and 2026.

Another conclusion – 2026 (after four more years)

It’s now 2026. So much has changed in these last four years. It’s impossible. And yet – it’s real. I dare say, it’s been the best four years of my life.

First of all, I was shocked to read something I wrote four years ago:

So as I wait for results from my quarterly blood tests, wondering if this will be the time when treatment, probably radiation, begins – and trying to not let depression get to me too much, as if that was possible – it is, well, it’s depressing.

I really don’t remember being depressed. About December – yes, that’s pretty normal, to some extent. But about the cancer treatment? No – I don’t remember that. I wrote – and am still writing – a series on the experience. When I did finally go in for radiation – my very first session, as I was walking alone down the hallway after they called my name, no idea what to expect, I had one prayer. God – please help me experience joy during this treatment. And I did. It was so unreal. Last year, when I went back for a status check, I asked about one of the radiation techs. She was there – and stopped by to visit. She remembered the good times we had during the treatment – the jokes, some paw mittens she made for my dog, Taco Bell Fire Sauce – and more.

When my treatments were over, she told me I was like an answer to a prayer for her. She and the rest of the team were an answer to my prayer. I went in with that prayer for joy – and it ended up that we all had so much joy.

And then there’s the Bible Study class I teach at church. I’ve been doing it for around 17-18 years now. It keeps getting better and better. When I first started, I really didn’t want to do it. But I ran out of excuses, and ended up doing it. If someone had told me thirty years ago that I’d be doing this – I’d say no way! And yet, I think because I learned to get out of the way of the Holy Spirit, God brought in new people, we got deeper into things, everyone’s willing to share and help everyone else learn. Something I really didn’t want to do is now like the highlight of my week. And when I have an off day – someone’s always ready and able to lift things up. Unreal. And yet – very real.

More final words

And so, I think my answer now is different again.

Yes, Jesus is willing, ready, and able to carry us when we need Him, if we ask.

But – Jesus also has a desire for us to be His representatives here in this life, to be willing, ready, and able to carry others when they need it. We don’t go through all these trials, as we call them, like cancer, like life-threatening staph infections – or the everday “little” things that can pile up and overwhelm – we don’t go through them for nothing. Yes, they help us grow. But – they also help us to help others get to know Him, and then they can also grow.

Christians say God blesses us, so we can bless others. But – do we?

On the other hand, how many Christians say God gives us “trials” and “hard times” so we can bless others? None that I remember. And yet, we can do exactly that.

And in both cases, it blesses us as well. The joy in doing those things is so great.

Plus, when we do that, giving the glory to God, it makes all of it even more meaningful, more joyful, and more peaceful – no matter what we’re going through.

And finally, I guess I also learned just now – it makes a difference in our memories. The idea that I was feeling depressed during the time between diagnosis and now, at any time in there at all – it’s just not how I remember it. I don’t remember those times. I remember the awesome times.

And that’s pretty shocking from someone who has very few good memories, the further back I go. There’s a verse in the Bible about God removing all our tears in the next life. But I feel like, if we allow Him, He’ll also prevent a lot of tears in this life, even while we go through the very events that would’ve made us cry without Him.

Realize though, I’m not saying life will be a breeze and everything’s going to be trouble-free. I am saying though, how we look at life, how we feel about it, and what we’ll remember about it – can be very different when we focus on God – and not on the things that prevent us from feeling His presence as we continue through life in this fallen world. It’s the very same message Jesus had for Peter. Don’t look at the wind – look at the Savior.

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Looking back across all these years, I realize something important: I ‘knew’ the right answer long before I ever believed I could actually do it. It’s easy to agree with a theological point in theory, but moving from knowing Jesus wants you to walk alongside Him to actually trusting He can work through someone like you takes time, trials, and grace.