The Closet Professor

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

– Romans 8:28

Life’s journey is often filled with joy and beauty, but it can also be marked by pain, rejection, and uncertainty. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, this path can feel especially lonely at times. Struggles with acceptance, identity, and faith may weigh heavily on your heart. But Romans 8:28 reminds us of a profound truth: God is always at work, shaping even our hardest moments into something beautiful.

You are not a mistake. You are not forgotten. You are not alone. Psalm 139:13-14 declares, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” God lovingly and intentionally made you just as you are. His love for you is not conditional—it is unwavering, steady, and eternal.

Footprints

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

This message of God’s presence and faithfulness is also reflected in the famous poem “Footprints.” The poem describes a person looking back on their life as a walk alongside God, represented by two sets of footprints in the sand. However, during life’s most difficult moments, only one set of footprints appears. The person asks God, “Why did You leave me when I needed You most?” But God responds with a powerful truth: “During your times of trial and suffering, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

How often do we feel abandoned during life’s hardest moments? Yet, just as in the poem, God never leaves us. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Even when you feel unseen, unheard, or misunderstood, God is carrying you. His love is the foundation that holds you up when everything else feels shaky.

As you continue on your journey, take comfort in knowing that God is not distant—He is right beside you. He has called you with purpose, and nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:38-39). When challenges come, remember that your life is a masterpiece in progress, and God is weaving every experience—both the joys and the struggles—into something beautiful.

If you ever feel weary or unsure of your place in the world, reflect on “Footprints.” Know that when you see only one set of footprints in your life, it is not because you have been abandoned, but because God is carrying you forward in love.

God always walking with us, even in the times we cannot feel Him. Sometimes, we may feel lost, but we must trust in His plan, knowing that He is working all things together for our good. When we feel alone, remember that God is carrying us.