Navigating Life with Backward Glances

“I thought happiness was Lubbock Texas in my rearview mirror!” That was the way Mac Davis sang it in 1980 as he reflected on his life growing up in West Texas. Actually, I spent 7 years in Lubbock in the 1960’s…so I can feel his pain! But if you listen to his last stanza of his song, look where he ended up: “But now happiness is Lubbock Texas growing nearer and dearer… And I think finally I know what it means. And when I die you can bury me in Lubbock Texas in my jeans.”

They’re called reflections…insights and lessons learned by thinking back on life’s experiences. Psychologists use them to unearth the decaying bones of past tragedies. But God uses your reflections to remind you that He is always with you…even when you thought He wasn’t! (Deut. 8:15-16) And so, backward glances are actually excellent navigational tools…if you learn how to properly use them.

1. A Backward Glance Gives Perspective…It’s a Snapshot of Your Walk with God. “Mirrors never lie,” my mother used to say. Looking into life’s rearview mirror you can see the person you used to be and who you are now. It can show you how much you’ve grown spiritually, but it can be a glaring revelation of how far you’ve drifted away from God’s purposes (Gal. 3:1-3). With just a backward glance, you’ll know whether to continue at full speed ahead or to correct your course.

2. A Backward Glance Helps You to Turn Failures into Learning Moments. Henry Ford is credited with saying, “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Failure can happen two ways…to you and to others. Either way, you can’t learn from a failure unless you reflect on what happened (Prov. 24:32). Once the lesson is learned, you become God’s candidate to help others navigate away from destructive paths in life (Ps. 51:10-13).

3. A Backward Glance Reveals God’s Amazing Providence. In 1774 William Cowper penned these inspiring words, “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform: He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.” With an open heart, spiritual eyes and a backward glance, God’s unseen hand becomes visible. So, instead of being anxious about your unseen future, trust God my friend. He’s working when you don’t even know it (Rom. 8:28).

4. Finally, Guess What You’ll See if You Glance Into God’s Mirror? Now this is Mindboggling! Instead of looking backward in time, you’ll be warped into eternity! And there you’ll see yourself as God sees you…with ever increasing glory (2 Cor. 3:18)! “Hey…You Talking to Me?” you might exclaim. Yep! If you have the Holy Spirit working in your heart, then He is continually transforming your redeemed nature into the image of God (Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 4:22-24).

In my study at home, I have a wall mirror with these words written near the bottom: “Life is Fragile, Handle with Prayer.” Every time I look at my reflection in that mirror, it becomes a sober reminder that what I’ve written above won’t happen…without prayer!

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