Book Review: Hinds' Feet on High Places

Hinds' Feet on High Places
by Hannah Hurnard

I have read this book more than once, and it is one of the special books that I feel like I should read every year. The theme of the book very much fits the heart of my blog, reflecting a desire for upward spiritual growth. The story is an allegory; the surface-level story is about a crippled girl named Much Afraid who seeks to leave her oppressive family and hometown. She wants to journey up the rugged mountains to what is named the High Places, the home and kingdom of the good shepherd for whom she works.

The underlying message is of a Christian who is dissatisfied with the constant temptations and mundane nature of “life as usual”; he desires instead the abundant life of blessing found in a vibrant and intimate walk with God. It reflects the heart of someone who knows there is something more to Christianity and who longs for what he has observed in the lives of others. As the reader moves through the story, the underlying spiritual meaning repeatedly and powerfully bounds to the surface. It is at times difficult to see a precise distinction between the time of salvation and subsequent decisions for spiritual growth; I believe the book is best understood by considering the main character to be a Christian from the beginning.

The journey described in the book is poignantly reflective of the battle for Christian growth. It portrays the gradual, at times apparently indistinguishable steps of growth that make up so much of the Christian life. It also reflects special times of more noticeable growth. Some of those advances are “altar” moments of deliberate submission of the will; others are spurts of growth brought about through the catalyst of specific situations of life. The upward journey makes its way through times of loneliness, adversity, temptation, confusion, pain, and sorrow - all of which work to transform the Christian into someone he could never have been without those trials. The story relates the continued struggle and gradual victory over besetting sins as well as the transformation as one dies to self and gives himself in service to others as he learns God’s love.

I see new truth and appreciate this book more every time I read it. I believe that someone just beginning the spiritual quest can read this book with profit and can relate to the lessons taught. That profit will increase, however, as the Christian travels further on the journey. Over time he will be able to more fully grasp the lessons he thought he had understood before. The author truly had some great insights into the quest for Christian growth, and it is obvious that she took this journey on her own. As I read a chapter or two at a time, my heart invariably turned toward God and my thoughts toward prayer. The truths aroused and strengthened my desire to grow and progress. They challenged my heart to be tender and to rely on God.

The underlying meaning of the allegory is not difficult to follow, and the book itself is not difficult to read. With few exceptions the action of the book moves along. Perhaps the quirkiest thing about the book is the author’s sometimes random use of Scripture. That is, she uses phrases from the Bible that are completely out of context. Rather than teaching error, however, these phrases strike the reader as coming from someone who is saturated enough with the Bible that her speech mimics Biblical terminology.