Looking Back

It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. —Philippians 2:13

God’s Providence is often better seen in retrospect. Looking back often gives us a more accurate picture of where we’ve been and what it means. That’s not to say that every look back will show us all there is to see. But if we continue to ponder where we’ve been and look with the eyes of faith, the view in the rearview mirror will often snap into focus and we’ll get a clearer vision of how God has been working in our lives.

The view out the front windshield is a different story. We may think we know where we’re headed, only to discover we had no earthly idea. What actually takes place may not at all be what we had envisioned or anticipated. What we see looking ahead is our story—our circumstances seen from our finite, limited perspective. What appears when we look back is God’s Story—what He sees and knows and has in mind, how He is always at work for our good and His glory.