A Few Steps Behind

Yesterday, I watched my son make his way home from school. He’s in Year 5 now, old enough to go on his own, confident enough to wave me off, yet still innocent enough to look both ways a few extra times at every crossing. What he didn’t know, until today, was that i’ve been following him most days, not beside him and not holding his hand. Just far enough behind to see him find his way.

At the traffic light near home, he finally spotted me. The look on his face, half surprise and part relief, was priceless. I told him, “Most times, i’m always here. You don’t see me.” His shoulders relaxed. Something in that moment felt holy.

It made me think about how God often operates in our lives. There are seasons when he lets us walk on our own, through decisions, doubts, failures and the awkward crossings of life. We think we’re navigating it all solo, unaware that a quiet presence is trailing just behind.
Sometimes, we call it coincidence, intuition, luck or strength. However, often than not, it’s grace in disguise. It’s God keeping a steady watch, giving us enough space to grow but never enough distance to fall beyond his reach.

God’s style of fatherhood isn’t smothering but trust-filled. He teaches us responsibility by allowing independence, yet his shadow never quite leaves. A verse of the bible says, “His banner over us is love.” We panic when the road feels empty but he is there, unseen, unhurried and unshaken.

Then there are those moments when he makes Himself seen. A sudden breakthrough after a season of silence, a comforting word, a set of ears or hands at the exact moment you’re unravelling or a door that opens just when you’ve stopped knocking.

That’s him stepping out from behind the crowd to say, “I’ve been here all along.”

Faith, then, isn’t just believing that God exists but also that he’s nearby, even in his quietness. It’s knowing that when we stumble or take the wrong turn, he’s still within reach. He’s the parent who trusts us enough to walk alone but loves us too much to truly let go.

When my son saw me that afternoon, he smiled in a way that said, i’m safe. Maybe that’s what God wants us to feel, not the absence of fear but the calm assurance that the one who loves us most is never too far behind.

So, walk boldly. Take the crossings, miss a few steps and learn the route. However, never forget that someone’s walking quietly behind you, just in case.