LEAVE THE PAST, FOCUS ON THE FUTURE THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR YOU.
The Peril of Looking Back
By P. MICHAEL.
The Bible presents powerful lessons about the danger of looking back.
The story of Lot’s wife and the Israelites' journey from Egypt are two clear illustrations of how focusing on the past can hinder spiritual progress. Looking back is not just about a physical glance, but about spiritual attachment and desire for what lies behind. As Christians, we are called to move forward, not backward. In this message, we’ll explore the dangers of looking back, backed by Scripture, and how we can avoid these traps in our own lives.
The Story of Lot’s Wife: A Warning of Spiritual Regression
Lot’s wife serves as one of the Bible’s most sobering warnings about the consequences of looking back. When God decided to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness, He mercifully spared Lot and his family, giving them clear instructions to flee and not look back.
Genesis 19:17 – “As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!’”
God’s command to Lot and his family was simple and direct: leave the city and don’t look back. This command was not just about physical movement; it was about not allowing their hearts to be attached to the sinful, doomed city of Sodom.
Genesis 19:26 – “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Despite God’s mercy and the clear instruction not to look back, Lot’s wife could not resist. Her heart was still tied to the life she had left behind, and in an instant, she was turned into a pillar of salt. This was not just a physical act, but a spiritual one, representing her attachment to the past, her refusal to let go of what God had called her away from.
Luke 17:32-33 – “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.”
Jesus uses Lot’s wife as a warning to us in the New Testament. He says that whoever clings to their past, to worldly desires, will lose their life. To follow Jesus requires us to let go of the past, to not look back or return to the things that once held us captive.
Lesson: Looking back, especially with longing or attachment to sinful ways, can keep us from the new life that God has for us. It can cause spiritual death and prevent us from experiencing the fullness of His promise. We are called to leave behind everything that is not of God and to focus on the future He has prepared for us.
The Israelites: Stuck in the Wilderness by Looking Back
The story of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is another profound example of how looking back can hinder spiritual progress. Despite the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites continually looked back, longing for the life they had left behind. This spiritual nostalgia caused them to wander in the wilderness for forty years instead of entering the Promised Land.
Exodus 14:12 – “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?”
When faced with adversity, the Israelites complained about their deliverance from Egypt. They longed for the comforts of their old life in slavery, forgetting the pain and bondage they endured there. Instead of trusting God’s provision and moving forward, they allowed their attachment to Egypt to hinder their faith.
Numbers 14:2-4 – “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?’”
The Israelites even suggested returning to Egypt, forgetting the suffering they experienced there. Their desire to return to Egypt symbolized their unwillingness to fully trust in God’s promise of a better future.
Numbers 11:4-6 – “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, ‘If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!’”
The Israelites began to crave the things they had in Egypt, forgetting that those things came at the cost of slavery. They were consumed by their desire for what was behind them, unable to appreciate the provision of God in the present.
Psalm 106:14-15 – “They craved intensely in the wilderness and put God to the test; so He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.”
Their constant longing for Egypt, their murmuring, and their refusal to trust God resulted in judgment. They were given what they desired (meat), but it led to destruction. Their fixation on Egypt led to their spiritual downfall.
The Israelites’ journey is a powerful lesson about the dangers of looking back. Their refusal to fully embrace God’s plan and their constant longing for the past kept them stuck in the wilderness. Instead of stepping into the Promised Land, they wandered in a barren place, missing the blessings that awaited them. Like them, when we look back, we risk losing the opportunities God has prepared for us and stalling our spiritual growth.
The Cost of Looking Back: A Spiritual Trap
The stories of Lot’s wife and the Israelites show us that looking back is not just a harmless act; it is a spiritual trap. When we look back with longing, we are often drawn back to things that were not good for us in the first place. It’s not just about missing the past, but about allowing that attachment to hinder our walk with God.
Luke 9:62 – “Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”
Jesus explains that looking back makes us unfit for His kingdom. We cannot serve God with one eye on the past. We must commit to His will, moving forward without hesitation or regret.
Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have 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 to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Paul stresses the importance of forgetting the past and focusing on what lies ahead. In our spiritual journey, the past can be a hindrance if we dwell on it too much. We must let go of past failures, regrets, or even past victories that might cause us to become complacent.
Conclusion: Move Forward with Confidence
Looking back is a serious spiritual danger. Whether it’s nostalgia for Egypt, the allure of past sins, or an attachment to past failures, looking back keeps us from the full blessings of God. Lot’s wife teaches us that looking back can lead to destruction. The Israelites teach us that looking back can keep us from entering God’s promises. As Christians, we are called to press forward, leaving behind the past and focusing on the future that God has prepared for us.
Let us follow the example of Paul, who, despite his past, focused on the calling of Christ and pressed on toward the heavenly prize. Let us, too, fix our eyes on Jesus and move forward in faith, trusting that He has something better ahead.
Prayer: Father, help us to not be distracted by the past. Give us the strength to leave behind anything that keeps us from moving forward in Your will. Help us to trust You completely, knowing that the future You have for us is far greater than anything we left behind. In Jesus' name, Amen.
