The Precious Gift of Hindsight

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

One of the really precious gifts of life that comes over time is the wisdom that comes from experience and hindsight. This is especially true for the Christian who knows the Lord and has lived their life learning of and walking out God’s Word.

When you read about King David and his life, you can’t help but think of the way he passionately loved and learned of God from the time he was a boy. He studied what was taught about God by those that preceded him. He learned what Moses had learned and said, “O Lord GOD, You have begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?” (Deu 3:24) David learned this and believed it. Consequently he walked out things that God had led him to do with great faith. He believed that God would always be there to direct, guide, instruct and bless him in that which he put his hand to for the Lord.

People that passionately love God like David did often become people who accomplish great and mighty things in the earth. 2 Chr 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself mighty on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” These things may be invisible to those that don’t know about or care for God but God notices and does not forget as Heb 6:10 verifies, “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”

David wanted to accomplish much for the Lord and he did, yet his life was anything but problem free. David had his share of troubles – some self inflicted and yet David still took them to the Lord. David never panicked. Out of the abundance of his heart, these words spilled forth, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble…” What powerful and faith filled words those are. Those are the words of someone who has experienced and has known God.

Are those the words that come from your mouth when trouble arises? Do you have confidence that the Lord is for you so who can be against you? There was a time when David spoke these words purely by faith not knowing how God would help Him out of trouble. There were also times later in his life when he spoke them not only by faith, but also from personal experience. He knew God and knew through experience He could count on God. He had his entire life to look back on and see how God had delivered him from troubled times again and again. He could look back on his life and say, “The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.” (Psa 37:39-40) He would also say “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor His descendants begging bread.” Psa 37:25

The wisdom and experience that comes from the hindsight of seeing all that God has done in our life is wonderful. It is more than faith. It is a view of experience. But, like David, we all have to start without those experiences and from just the point of faith alone. Is that okay? It’s more than okay because God is true to His Word and His promises and is worthy of our trust. You may be in a struggle and things might not make sense to you at the moment but know this; it’s a glorious things when you’ve prevailed in faith and are able to look back in time and see how God has been there for you again and again. When that day comes, then you’ll spill the same words David did, “…As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble…” 1 Kings 1:29

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt