You’ve heard the saying — probably have said it yourself from time to time: “Hindsight’s 20/20!” When looking back on what you did, what you shouldn’t have done, or what you’re sure you ought to have done, could have done, would have done… you may have reasoned a better outcome with your 20/20 hindsight vision. But it’s a lie. Hindsight isn’t 20/20.
Hindsight isn’t 20/20 bcz we don’t know what God knows. You don’t know if you would have had a perfect outcome had you been able to exercise your now perfect 20/20 hindsight bcz you couldn’t have known all the variables at play, or all the extenuating circumstances surrounding that situation. Sure there’re things we wish we’d done, or things we regret doing, but our now “perfect” or mature vision/hindsight really has no sure affirmation of what could have been had we exercised it back then.
One thing’s sure: God allowed what happened to happen for His purposes—for your good and His glory. All the things we should have done or “could have” done but didn’t are still being worked out for our good and His glory. To claim 20/20 hindsight is to take the place of God and all He knew/knows. We were imperfect then and imperfect now. Even our so-called 20/20 hindsight isn’t clear.
Lately I’ve begun to accept the failings I’ve had and have finally begun to see all I’ve learned bcz of those failings, all the things God did in and through all the different trials. I’ve begun to thank Him for them all and in doing so, I’ve begun to see I was taking too much credit for things that didn’t go well or for things I thought I’d don’t badly or hadn’t done right. I’m beginning to see what He allowed to happen was for my good and His glory and had I not experienced failure, I’d not have learned all I have from those experiences and I just might still be entangled in failings and shortcomings, distractions and self-centeredness.
What is clear is that God works all things together for good to those that love Him and to those that are the called according to His purpose. Only God’s foresight, sight, hindsight is “20/20” or, rather, perfect. Perfect: better than 20/20.
So at the beginning of this new decade, this new year, this new month: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” 1Peter 2.21
I hope you’ll join me in seeking to walk in His steps this year. By His faith, not by our sight, by His will, in His grace, for His glory, not by or for our own.
The year stretched out before us is as an unpainted canvas, vast and wide, unblemished, full of opportunity and hope. 2020… a new year, a new decade, a clean new slate. Sure, we’ll bring into it all our stuff, but let’s endeavour to walk with the Saviour and let Him guide the path and sort it all out.
God bless you, God bless the year ahead.
