DON’T LOOK BACK

 

Geneses 19:15-26

This simple, yet powerful commandment invites us to understand that walking in faith requires a constant look toward the future, a heart willing to move forward, and a mind focused on the purpose that God has outlined for each one of us.

Throughout the Scriptures, we find numerous exhortations not to turn back, not to cling to the past, but to move forward with faith toward the future that God has prepared for us. This message is vital because it reflects the character of our Christian life: a life of constant transformation, growth, and renewal.

In Genesis 19:26, we see a clear and tragic example of what happens when we look back. Lot’s wife, disobeying divine instruction, looked back as they fled Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt. This act was not just a simple glance, but a symbol of her attachment to the past, to the things of her old life, and her inability to fully surrender to God’s plan for her future.

This account teaches us that looking back can mean more than just a memory; it can represent a desire to return to what God has already asked us to leave behind. It is an act of disobedience and a lack of trust in what God has ahead for us. Looking back can prevent us from moving forward in God’s will, and it often anchors us to a place of spiritual stagnation.

The New Testament offers us clear teachings about the need to move forward without looking back. Jesus, in Luke 9:62, said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Here, Jesus uses the metaphor of the plow, a work tool that requires concentration and direction. For those who plow, looking back could divert the plow and make the furrow uneven, inefficient.

This applies directly to our Christian life. When we put our hand to the plow of faith, we must move forward with determination, always looking forward, toward what God is working in our lives. If we keep looking back, our steps become unsteady, and we risk straying from the path God has laid out for us.

Jesus calls us to follow Him with all our heart, without hesitation or reservation. Following Jesus involves leaving behind our old life, with its mistakes, sins, and burdens, and embracing the new life He offers us. It is a total and absolute commitment. As Christians, we are called to live in the present and walk with faith toward the future, trusting that God has plans for good and not evil for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

Reminiscence is a powerful emotion that can, if not handled properly, become a spiritual trap. It is natural to remember the past fondly, but when those memories become an obstacle to moving forward, they become dangerous. In Philippians 3:13-14, the apostle Paul shows us an exemplary attitude: “Brothers, I do not consider myself to have already taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul exhorts us to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. This attitude does not mean spiritual amnesia, but a conscious choice not to allow the past to control our present or determine our future. Nostalgia can make us idealize times past; leading us to thinking that the best of our lives is already behind us is contrary to God’s promise that He always has something new and better for us.

It is crucial that, as children of God, we learn to leave behind not only failures and sins, but also past successes. Sometimes, our achievements of yesterday can become the greatest obstacle to our progress today if we cling to them instead of seeking the new thing that God wants to do in our lives.

In order not to look back, it is essential that our faith is firmly anchored in Christ. Faith is what drives us forward, what gives us the strength to let go of the past and embrace what God has prepared for us. In Hebrews 11:1 faith is defined as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This assurance and conviction allow us to move forward with confidence, knowing that although the future is uncertain, God has already planned it and prepared it for our good.

Faith gives us the right perspective to not cling to what was, but to trust in what will be. Every day is a new opportunity God gives us to grow, learn, and move forward. When we look back with doubt or regret, we are weakening our faith in God’s transforming power and His ability to lead us to a better future.

Faith is the engine that drives us forward, even when the road is difficult. It is what sustains us in times of uncertainty and gives us the strength to keep moving forward when the past calls us back.

The Bible is full of examples of people who, by leaving their past behind, were blessed by God with new beginnings. Abraham left his homeland to follow God’s call to a land He would show him. Abraham did not look back; he did not allow fear or uncertainty to stop him. In his obedience, God blessed him and made him the father of many nations (Genesis 12:1-4). Moses, who had to leave behind his life in Egypt, with all the power and privilege that came with it, in order to fulfill God’s purpose of freeing his people. Moses faced great challenges, but he did not turn back. He moved forward in faith, and God used him mightily.

These examples teach us that God always rewards faith and obedience. When we let go of what God asks us to let go of, He leads us to new opportunities and blessings. We cannot reach God’s promises if we continue to hold on to what He has already asked us to let go of.

Part of not looking back is learning to forgive and let go. Forgiveness is essential to spiritual progress. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:14-15 that if we do not forgive others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us either. Holding on to a grudge is a way of looking back, of staying tied to the hurts of the past.

Forgiveness frees, heals, and allows us to move forward. It is an act of faith in itself, because by forgiving, we trust that God is just and that He will take care of what we cannot. Furthermore, forgiveness restores us and prepares us to receive the blessings that God has for us in the future.

Just as God forgives us and remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12), we too must learn to let go of the past, not to look back with bitterness or resentment, but with a heart full of grace and willing to move forward.

He has a purpose and a plan that is good, and our focus must be on that promise, not on what is behind us Philippians 3:12-14). We are called to move forward in faith, not to look back. God has great things in store for those who trust in Him and move forward with determination. Let us let go of the past, with its joys and sorrows, and reach out to what is ahead, knowing that God is with us every step of the way.

Let us not allow the past to keep us from reaching out to God’s promises. Let us set our sights on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, and move forward with hope toward the glorious future He has prepared for us. Don’t look back, for the best is yet to come!