Weekly Inspiration: Keeping Our Hands to the Plow
by Katey Norman | Oct 3, 2025
As someone who has a testimony rife with themes from the Prodigal Son, my relationship with the Lord is heavily sewn with the thread of his saving grace in my life. Recently, I have found myself recalling certain memories, habits, and decisions that I had made during the season when I was either running from or ignoring Jesus. Having already confessed everything from this time frame, I still found myself getting caught looking in the spiritual rearview mirror and lamenting on time wasted, relationships damaged, and ways in which I did not live in peace. What a relief it was to remember that the Lord Himself tells me, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:62).
I know that in this passage, Jesus is talking to the young man about saying goodbye to his family and attachment to earthly things, but this spoke to me about the ways I have been trapped “looking back” at something the Lord has already called me forward from. How much of my finite time on this earth has been spent looking back in shame or anguish at how I didn’t choose Jesus instead of standing in the mercy He has already given me and keeping my hand on the plough, responding to the call to walk forward with Him in joy? Not only does He offer forgiveness and relief, He makes it abundantly clear that we are to leave behind what He has said is finished. He calls us forward, not so that we ever forget what He has done, but so we do not miss what He is doing.
Katey Norman is a proud Stratford, Ontario, native, and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She and her husband, Steve, moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in August of 2023 to be on mission and serve the Lord with Renewal Ministries. With over thirteen years of working in ministry, Katey has a heart for evangelization and mission, and a desire to see the body of Christ living dynamically and boldly as sons and daughters of the King.
rmartin@renewalministries.net
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Dear Katey, somehow God puts things in front of me which I desperately need to hear. Your above article is one of them. It brings to mind a Prayer to Redeem Lost Time by St. Teresa of Avila. I type it here if it might be helpful to others: “O my God, Source of all mercy! I acknowledge Your sovereign power. While recalling the wasted years that are past, I believe that You, Lord, can in an instant turn this loss to gain. Miserable as I am, yet I firmly believe that You can do all things. Please restore to me the lost time, giving me Your grace both now and in the future, that I may appear before You in “wedding garments.” Amen