Be honest now, it's not just old(er) people who look back. I reckon you had a glance over your shoulder when you became a teenager, got engaged, married, had each child, when a loved one passed away, or when you became an official OAP (Big Hint!). It's normal, natural, and it's human. In truth, the older you get, the more there is to look back on with thanks, or maybe regret.
At times of reflection it is important to remember some promises at our disposal as God’s children, because we are not the first or only people to find ourselves in this place, and we will not be the last. That’s for sure. Our past, at any age, is littered with a combination of happy and sad memories, but we have a powerful advocate in the person of Jesus Christ who stands between us and God. Look at it this way. We can (and should) learn from our bad decisions, while also being thankful to God for all those many good memories which far outweigh anything else we have experienced. Take heart from these verses, and remember hindsight is 20/20:
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV
No test has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear. But when you are tested, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
