Genesis 19 recounts the story of a guy named Lot and his family as they fled the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. An angel urged them to go quickly and by all means, “Don’t look back!” They ran, but not all of them listened to the angel’s direction.
Do you ever wish you were given some warning signs? “Watch out! Danger ahead!” Maybe then you’d be less inclined to fall into those pits of foolishness. The problem is that even when we’re given those signs, we are still severely tempted to see if we can bend the rules. After all, bending the rules a little can’t have permanent consequences. Can it?
Unfortunately for Lot’s wife, her curiosity got the best of her. That one quick peek to see what was happening behind her was a deal-breaker. She was supposed to run, go forward, and look ahead. That was the instruction. Instead, she looked back at the destruction. She stopped moving ahead to the blessing God intended. She was stuck in her tracks for eternity.
So what about us? Why are we so eager to keep looking back at the old stories that caused us pain, defined us for a time, or were simply destructive? We look back, revisiting the tragedies we’ve caused or lived through, and discount the ways God helps us grow and change. We have God’s forgiveness and we finally understand our life purpose. The present bids us to keep moving forward, looking for ways to bring light to those around us.
Grief over past sins can make us feel unworthy of God’s forgiveness. We can hardly forgive ourselves. As it turns out, you can’t forgive your own sins. God forgives you so you can move on. God refreshes your soul and desires only good things for you. He doesn’t want you to be stuck like a pillar of salt. He wants you to flavor the world with your eternal joy. In fact, He thinks you are the salt of the earth. The sign in front of you says this. “Move forward. Keep going. Keep trusting. Keep believing because God has more for you.”
Those signs are your marching orders right now. No more looking back. No more destructive self-loathing. It’s time to pull out the sunglasses because the future looks bright.
Hey! Blessings are just up ahead!