Contemplation Exercise: Footsteps Prayer for Healing from Addiction

The "Footprints in the Sand" prayer (often called the Footsteps Prayer) is a beloved poem about God’s presence during life’s hardest moments. Though its exact origins are unclear, it became widely popular in the 20th century. I was given this exercise 34 years ago in Rehab.Footprints in the Sand  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.  When 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 that once I decided to follow You,  You’d Walk with me all the way.  But I noticed that during the hardest times of my life,  There was only one set of footprints.  I don’t understand why, when I needed You most, you would leave me."  The Lord replied,  "My precious child, I love you and would never leave you.  During your times of trial and suffering,  When you see only one set of footprints,  It was then that I carried you."  Key Themes:  1. Divine Presence in Struggle – God does not abandon us in suffering but sustains us.  2. Surrender & Trust – Even when we feel alone, we are held.  3. Hope in Weakness – Our lowest moments may be when God’s grace is most active.  

Introduction:  

Find a quiet space where you can sit or walk comfortably. Take a few deep breaths, inhaling peace and exhaling tension. As you begin this exercise, invite God (or your Higher Power) to walk with you through your journey of recovery. Reflect on the Footsteps Prayer, a real statement on divine companionship, and allow it to speak to your struggles with addiction.  Visualise Visualise Visualise.

1. Remembering the Footsteps  "Lord, you told me you would walk with me always..."  Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking along a shoreline—a symbol of your life’s journey. Picture two sets of footprints in the sand: yours and God’s.  Reflect and contemplate: When have you felt God walking beside you in your recovery? Were there moments of strength, clarity, or unexpected grace? Even though the heart may be ‘hard’ and the soul ‘dry’ to many words, can you contemplate a ‘softening’ though this exercise?

Acknowledge: Addiction may have made you feel alone, but the truth is, you were never abandoned.  Pause and breathe. Let this truth settle in your heart.  

2. The Single Set of Footprints  "But I noticed that during the hardest times of my life, there was only one set of footprints..."  Now, visualise a stretch of sand where only one set of footprints appears—the times of deepest struggle, relapse, or despair.  Ask yourself: What were your hardest moments in addiction? When did you feel carried, even if you didn’t realize it at the time?  Contemplate: The God of our own understanding does not leave us in our suffering. Sometimes, He carries us when we cannot walk on our own.  

Place a hand over your heart and whisper:  "Even then, you were with me."  

3. Surrendering the Burden  "My precious child, I would never leave you. During your times of trial, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."  

Imagine: God lifting you gently, like a parent carrying a weary child. What burdens of shame, fear, or guilt can you surrender into those hands today?  Say out loud: "Lord, help me trust that You are carrying me now, even when my steps feel unsteady."

 4. Walking Forward in Hope  Open your eyes and take a slow, intentional walk (or simply visualise walking). With each step, repeat:  Contemplate: "I am not alone. I am held. I am healing."  

Closing thoughts:  "Loving God, thank You for walking with me through every moment of my journey—especially the hardest ones. Help me to feel Your presence when the road is dark, and to trust that even when I stumble, you are carrying me toward wholeness. Amen."  May this exercise remind you that no matter how difficult the path, you are never walking it alone. ♡