Hindsight Is A Wonderful Thing
The words of wisdom that flow from my mind after an event would make it into a presidential speech!
1 Kings 9.1-9
Reference: v.3a The Lord said to him: 'I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me.' (NIV Bible)
Explore: Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Whenever I replay a previous argument over in my head I always think of much better rebuttal. The words of wisdom that flow from my mind after an event would make it into a presidential speech! However the moment is past and I just look back at what could have been. Isn't it frustrating that we often have to wait until the moment has passed to see whether we were wise or foolish?!
There have been numerous times this year where I have sought the voice of God. I am an impatient person who likes an instant response. Unfortunately God doesn't bow to my requests as quickly as I would desire!
Application: It's often not until after the situation that we can look back and see God's hand at work. God is not bound by our time. And often he has started to respond before we even ask the question, we just don't see it because we are looking in the wrong direction. But when we look back we can see that in hindsight, God has answered our cry.
Personally, I find this hindsight vision of God very frustrating. However, it is usually due to my blindness that I do not see God in the first place. The more I learn more about God and how he has made me, the more I am able to discern the best way I should turn. If we are regularly looking back to see God's movement in our lives then we are more likely to see where He may be directing our future. When a big issue comes up we want to see God instantly. God is there, He is listening but His response is not always where we expect it. Therefore we must have faith and trust that God will move and be diligent in searching for His voice.
Prayer: Lord, you are often a God of mystery. The more I know you the more I realise I do not know! And yet there is on truth that we can hold on to dearly: you promise to always be there for us. Thank you for your dedication to us when we rarely deserve it. Amen.
What helps you to discern God's wisdom in making decisions?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.