New Version of "Footprints"

Imagine you and the Lord are walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace, but your footprints are a disorganized stream of zig-zags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.

For much of the way it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling his consistently--you and the Lord are walking as true friends!

This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to the Lord's are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones--you and the Lord are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger. Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints--they have become one.

This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zig-zags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints. You are amazed and shocked. Your dream ends.

Now you pray:

"Lord, I understand the first scene, with zig-zags and fits. I was a new person and I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me to learn to walk with you."

"That is correct."

"And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely."

"Very good. You have understood everything so far."

"When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way."

"Precisely."

"So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separate, and this time it was worse than the first."

There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice, "You didn't know? It was then that we danced!"

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to weep,
A time to laugh,
A time to mourn, and
A time to dance.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4