During my times with God, I like to keep a record, a journal, of what is going on in my life. Very often, when I look back on those recorded moments, I gain new insight on what I was going through back then. It has helped me become more adept at interpreting God’s leading and plan for me as I further experience life and reflect on what He has done.

Sometimes it’s easier to look back and see God’s hand in a particular season, then it is to see Him moving in the moment. By looking back on what we have been through and seeing how God was right there, we can have greater comfort and encouragement for what we are going through now or even what lies ahead. As I gain new insight into my personality and how the Lord has been working through my issues and problems, I realize how small they really are in comparison to my Lord’s holiness and greatness.

Concentrating on Christ and what He has already done, will lift us up better and more completely than anything else we could ever do. Looking back, has taught me to look beyond myself – to look at Christ, no matter the situation.

In the same way, we also look at God’s Word as a mirror to ourselves – a glimpse into our souls. The purpose is not to see us, but to see how God is working in us. When we only see ourselves, we see our sin, brokenness, failure, self-seeking inclinations, and wrong attitudes. But when we ask God to show us how He’s working and moving in our lives through the difficult seasons, then our times of prayer, journaling, and reading Scripture become tools God uses to mature our faith.