If I Had Only Known

     It always seems as if "hindsight" is better than foresight.  That is, we look at something that we did and then think, "Well, if I had only known I could have done that differently."  In one of the cantatas that I had the privilege of working with a long time ago, we had a song about the innkeeper who kept saying, "If I had only known..."  The song implied that if he had known that the baby to be born was the Son of God, that he would have done things differently.  He probably would have found some space for them.  Well, that may or may not be true.  Hindsight never bears any fruit because we didn't do it with that knowledge in the first place.  It is like saying that If I had only known the trooper was at the bottom of the hill, I would have driven the right speed.  It is more important to live life as if we do know.   Foresight is probably best especially if it is based on God's leading and not our own.  We have been advised and we should act accordingly.   Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  
     There we find that foresight is the best when it is led be God and not by our own being.  Notice the things that are dependent upon good direction.  First, we have to trust in the LORD with all of our heart.  That means everything is devoted to God and nothing of ourselves.  Then, it tells us that we are to not lean on our understanding.  We often think that we know the best way for our lives but that is often not the case.  It may be based upon our understanding of things and God may have a different purpose for us.  Finally, the verses remind us that we are to acknowledge God in all of our ways and then, He will direct our paths.  He will show us the proper way to go.  We need to have the attitude that if God will permit something to happen, then it is His will.  We often say that we will go here or there and we need to include the phrase, "God willing."  The reason for that is that we don't know what God has in store for us.  Only He knows what's going to take place in our lives.  So, while we might say that "hindsight" is always good, remember the "foresight" that is dependent upon God is the best thing to have.  We need to seek to do all things according to God's plan for our lives and trust in the LORD with all of our heart.  Praise God that He guides us each and every day.  Are you following His directing?