Living Forward, Understanding Backward

Have you ever traveled and gotten lost? No map, or compass at hand? Do you recall fretting, getting angry, realizing that you had just enough gas left to get to where you hoped to be civilization?

Some how you found your way, and with that an immediate sigh of relief. Then you think back and wonder how did you get over?

Nevertheless, you did not stop seeking your way. You continued to press forwarded, yet thinking backwards, and wondering, did you make the right turns to get where you needed to be.

Perseverance is a great attribute to have.

God has said in his word:
Philippians 3:13 (Whole Chapter) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Philippians 3:14 (Whole Chapter) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Never stop seeking the truth, never give up, always seek God's guidance.


Psalm 121:2 (Whole Chapter) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.


Please read another great print by, OS Hillman...


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Living Forward, Understanding BackwardTGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os HillmanWednesday, December 01 2010

"The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it." - 1 Thessalonians 5:24

when I was in my 20's, I participated in a wilderness-training course in a desert and mountain area. For our "final exam," we were blindfolded, placed in the back of a pickup truck, and taken to a remote area. We were dropped off and told to meet back at the camp in three days. We did not know where we were. We had to determine our location with our compasses. It was a frightening experience for four young people who had learned to navigate through the use of a compass only a few days earlier. With our food and water on our backs, we began our trek. It had just snowed that morning, so the way was difficult. We walked through valleys, canyons, snow-covered hills, and forests. In all, we walked more than 60 miles in three days. There were times when we did not think we could go another foot. Exhaustion and frostbitten feet were taking their toll. However, we finally made it to our base camp successfully, and to our surprise, we were the first ones among the other patrols to make it back.

At the conclusion of our journey, we were able to stand on top of a ridge, look behind us and see the beautiful terrain that we had just scaled. The pain of what we had just endured seemed to subside. We could not believe we had actually walked through those valleys and snowcapped hills. There was a sense of accomplishment.

Life is very much like this. It is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road a bit that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life as a result. When you begin to realize some of this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn't seem like it at the time, but He was.

Are you in the midst of a difficult journey that seems almost impossible to continue? Be assured that God is providing grace even now to equip you for that journey. There will be a time when you can say, "Wow, look at what God has done because of what I gained through that valley." Trust Him with the outcome of where you find yourself today.