🪞Episode 26: The Gift of Looking Back
Some memories bring a smile… others bring a sting.
But all of them have something to teach us… if we’re willing to look back with the right heart.
In this week’s theme of Reflection, I’ve been thinking about how challenging it can be to revisit old seasons. We often examine our past with the wisdom, maturity, and healing we have today — and it leaves us confused, frustrated, or disappointed in who we used to be.
Not long ago, I was sitting with a mentor and processing a season of my life that still felt blurry and heavy. After listening quietly, he finally smiled and said…
“You’re looking at your past with today’s wisdom. Of course it doesn’t make sense.”
That one sentence shifted everything.
It helped me see that reflection is not about picking apart my past… it’s about recognizing God’s presence in places I once overlooked.
And that is the gift of looking back.
🌿 The Power of Grace-Filled Reflection
When we look back without grace, we relive.
When we look back with grace, we remember.
Scripture reminds us often to remember — not just our choices, but God’s faithfulness in the middle of them. “I will remember the works of the Lord…” (Psalm 77:11, KJV). Reflection is not about judging who you were… it’s about noticing who God was, even then.
Hindsight becomes holy when we let God interpret our past instead of trying to make sense of it alone.
So how do we practice healthy reflection?
Release the judgment. You’re not who you were, and God’s not asking you to be.
Look for God’s fingerprints. Where did He protect… provide… redirect… comfort?
Let your past inform growth, not identity. Your story shaped you, but it does not define you.
The goal isn’t to stay stuck staring backward… it’s to gain clarity to move forward.
đź•Š The Practice of Looking Back
Reflection isn’t about rewriting your story — it’s about reframing it.
Some parts of your past may still feel unfinished or unanswered. But when you invite God into those memories, they start to look different. Painful moments reveal purpose. Confusing seasons reveal preparation. And the places where you once felt alone suddenly reveal His nearness.
When I look back now, I see how God was weaving things I didn’t recognize at the time. Not every chapter was easy, but every chapter mattered.
And that’s true for you too.
đź’ Reflection and Takeaway
Ask yourself this week:
What part of my story do I avoid… and what might God be trying to show me through it?
Sometimes the clarity we pray for is waiting on the courage to look back with grace instead of guilt.
Remember — reflection is not a return to who you used to be… it’s an invitation to see how far God has brought you.
As Lamentations 3:21 says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”
Hope grows when we remember.
🌱 Keep Growing
If this message speaks to you, continue exploring the theme of Reflection in this week’s podcast episode, “The Gift of Looking Back.” You can listen wherever you stream podcasts.
And if you want to go deeper in your spiritual journey, the full 7-week devotional is available at WhitmanCollective.com/store — with guided prayer, Scripture meditation, and daily reflection prompts to help you grow from the inside out.
