Don’t Look Back

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” - Isaiah 43:18
 
 
Over the last few days, we have talked about the importance of letting go in order to experience God’s very best. The key to excelling in life is recognizing our shortcomings and working to improve them so that we don’t look back or go back to those former things that were previously a hindrance to us.
 
This is the dilemma that confronted Lot’s wife in Genesis 19. God planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Two angels/men warned Lot to remove his family from the city before it was destroyed, one proclaiming ““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!” But Lot’s wife “looked back” and was turned into a pillar of salt.  
 
I imagine that Lot’s wife did some great things in her life, but her legacy is only captured here by her struggle. We do not know her name, where she is from, or who her people were. All we know is that she struggled with a bad case of the “can’t help its.” She was unable to walk away from something that did not add value to her life and looked back when she should have been looking forward.  
 
Be careful, my friend. Sin leads only to destruction. You do not want to get caught up trying to relive the past and miss what the present and future have for you. There are greater things ahead, but only if we let go of what used to be. Do not let memories of a past time keep you from the memories God wants to make in your future!