Looking back can throw you off track

The year 2020 will be one for the history books. We entered unprecedented territories in many areas. Not to mention all that we faced in our own lives. Most are happy the year is over, some wish that we could have skipped it altogether. I must admit that I would be one that wanted it skipped. More fitting than ever is the term Hindsight 20/20, it has an entirely new meaning to me now. Usually, when someone says in hindsight, things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one can evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice. Hindsight requires one to look back. At this time, you can see things not as they were in that exact moment that it took place but with newness and with more clarity than at the time and situation or event took place. As we embark on a new year, many of us with no intention of our own accord will have much desire to look back on this previous year and the tragedies that came with it. How can we not right? It was bone-crushing, heartbreaking, and more so faith-testing.

I have found a rather unique approach regarding looking back versus reflecting. If I told you to look back right now, you would have to twist your body around. In doing this motion you are now unable to see what is in front of you. So, if you are walking you may trip over something or run into someone. If you are driving, you may run off the road or into another car. If you are working you are most likely to make a mistake. It takes you off course which leaves you at a disadvantage. However, what if I told you to reflect. You can do this while looking forward, not motioning your body in any way. You may reflect while walking, driving, working, and still see what is ahead of you. Yes, reflection does require one to contemplate or think about something that has happened in the past. Even so, I have found for myself normally that it is combined with God’s grace, God’s mercy, and God’s protection

A popular example of one looking back is Lots wife who got turned into a pillar of salt. I used to think Wow, God turned her into a pillar of salt just for looking back. I could not understand. As I study this story further. The city that they were living in was full of evil. Lot found favor with God and he was instructed to take himself and his family to a new city. The city where they currently resided was about to be destroyed by God’s angels. When they are leaving Lot’s wife looked back and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt. Salt preserves which mean that it maintains something in its existing state. I often wonder what was it that caused her to look back? There are times that at our existing state is the very thing that we are praying for God to rescue us from. Salt can symbolize depression, heartbreak , addiction, grief, loss anything that makes you feel as though you’re carrying around a thousand pounds on your back all alone. When God brings you through something and you look back on that thing; it has the potential to put you back into that existing state. This state is usually a dark place. A word for certain that could be aimed at this previous year is destruction. Perhaps your destruction took place way before this previous year. We serve a God who can turn destruction into restoration, nothing into something, and despair into hope.

Let us revisit the term hindsight 20/20. 20/20 is what an optometrist describes as perfect vision. Hence the word sight. Another adjective for hind is rear. Simply put, to see clear in the rear. I do not know about you, but I would like for my vision to be clear ahead. Take the knowledge that has been given to me through a multitude of experiences from my past and apply it to the future. I would like to implement the wisdom learned from such to press on and push forward. Philippians 3:13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead It is extremely difficult to forget the past, I must battle this daily. Precisely with the events that hit me at my core. Even still we must not lose focus on what lies ahead. God promises us that our former days will be better than the later days. Philippians 3:14 press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. We must press on for that heavenly prize! As the saying goes nothing worth having comes easy. Philippians 3:15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. Although it gets hard and we cry out because truly some things you will not be able to forget or understand, but what a God we serve that even when we do not understand, or it is hard to press forward if we continue to seek him with all our hearts, He will make it plain. Even when we are too weak to see because He is made perfect in our weakness!! He still shows us in His timing, which is always perfect!

What are you longing to see God do in the year ahead? What brokenness might He heal? What personal failures might He redeem? What closed doors might He open? Ephesians 3-12 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. I find so much comfort in this verse! We know that trials and tribulations will arise. There are some that we have endured that seem impossible not to obsess over and continue to look back on. But God will bring Glory through it all if we remain faithful and allow him to have HIS way.

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