The Benefit of Retrospection During Challenging Times

Daily Devotional – Tuesday, January 31, 2023
And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:10 (NKJV)

Phew! January is over! I live in a society where the first month of the year is the butt of jokes. Some say it has 75 days. Others opine there is First and Second January. It all has to do with the hardships associated with this month. There are, however, benefits of retrospection during challenging times.

Gains of Reflection

December is a time of celebration. Individuals, couples and families spend loads of money in the process of venting the pressure of the year that is ending and catching up with friends and family. As they embark on the first month, though, bills pile up against scanty resources, hence the pains of January.

Now as the month ends, you can choose to celebrate your achievements or to hype up the hurdles. Better still, you may want to sit back, reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of the receding month and garner vital lessons for February and rest of the year.

Profiting from Hindsight

Winston Churchill once stated, “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” Hindsight offers the opportunity to understand that both negative and positive experiences are necessary for growth. It is not all gloom after all.

For example, if you are reading this devotional you are alive in a world where thousands die every second. It is likely that you are not on a sickbed. Perhaps you were sometimes during the concluding month but today you are walking and smiling.

Rewards of Perception

That relationship that did not work stressed you but God is guiding you towards a better prospect. Perhaps you did not get your dream job because God wants you to achieve a bigger dream. He has a noble reason or everything He allows to happen to you.

As you reflect on January, you will realize you grew spiritually more than before because your challenges made you turn to God through prayer and Bible study. You also discovered areas of weakness in you spiritual, mental, social, physical and professional life, which you need to work on to become a better person.

Benefits of Retrospection

God set us an example on how to deal with a day, month or any period of work that is ending. Here is Moses’s narration: “And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:10). If you thoroughly analyze your January experience, you will agree with God that is was a good month.

Now you know that the remaining eleven months of the year will have their fair share of challenges but God will make you victorious through them all if you trust Him fully. That is the benefit of retrospection during challenging times.

Prayer
Almighty Father, in retrospection, I thank You for the good, the bad and the ugly occurrences of January because they all made me a better person.