Have you ever longingly looked back on your life and wished things were like they used to be? Or maybe you look back and can’t seem to rid yourself of the pain and trauma that once took place, and it is now dictating your life. These reflections often lead to a mix of nostalgia and regret, and we find ourselves trapped in memories that seem both beautiful and haunting. Sometimes life can create a longing for the simpler moments, while also reminding us of the challenges we faced. It’s as if we are caught in a web of emotions, where the joy of past experiences intertwines with the sorrow of unresolved pain, making it difficult to move forward and fully embrace everything God has for us in the present.
When my husband resigned his senior pastorate and retired from ministry a few years back, I was met with a whirlwind of emotions that seemed to consume me entirely. On the one hand, I was ecstatic because the pain inflicted by the people would finally come to an end. I could finally see a future free from the pressures and expectations that came with our roles in the church. But, on the other hand, I was overcome with sadness because my whole identity had been woven into being a pastor’s wife and a worship leader. Those responsibilities had given my life purpose and direction, and now I was left with wondering what I was to do with my life. I didn’t know who I was anymore without those titles to define me. I was lost in a spider web of emotions I couldn’t escape.
It was hard to move forward because I kept looking back at what was. I was running around trying to figure out my purpose all the while trying to heal from the pain inflicted by people that would follow me into other churches. It persistently shadowed my every step, keeping me to myself. Each time I entered a new church, I was haunted by memories that felt like chains binding me. The familiar faces from the past echoed in my mind, reminding me of betrayals and heartaches that had etched themselves into my very being. Why couldn’t I escape this vicious cycle? Why couldn’t I move forward? What would my future look like if my eyes weren’t constantly fixed on the road I already traveled?
Remember Lot’s Wife
As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across the statement “Remember Lot’s wife” in Luke 17:32. In the middle of a theological discourse, Jesus dropped these three words. But what did He mean?
If you look in Genesis chapter 19, you will see that two angels came to Sodom to remove Lot and his family from the destruction that was about to occur. They gave them two instructions: Go! and “Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley.” (Genesis 19:17) But Lot’s wife, from behind him, [foolishly, longingly] looked [back toward Sodom in an act of disobedience], and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26 AMP)
I’m not judging Lot’s wife. We all have things from our past that are hard to let go of and break free from. How often do we longingly look back hoping God would give us the thing He just released us from? It’s easy to get stuck in the memories of our past. So often we hear the phrase: “Remember the good ole days?” This one is pretty popular in churches. “Remember how God used to move?” “Remember the songs we used to sing?” We can get stuck in these memories and will become stagnant if we don’t let go of the past and open our eyes to what God is doing around us now.
Not only can we get stuck in the good old days, but we can become stuck in our emotions as well. We can ruminate over things that cause us to become anxious. Also, we can get stuck in our good or bad attitudes, our opinions, our plans and desires, our pain, our hurts and trauma, our past and present relationships, and even things we want and hope for in our future.
When Lot’s wife longingly looked back, she became stuck, frozen in time. She no longer was able to move forward in the blessings God had in store for her. She became distraught over what she had to leave…the familiar, however painful it had been. Moving forward wasn’t something she wanted. It was more comfortable to live in the very thing God was trying to release her from. Aren’t we the same way?
Breaking Free and Moving Forward
Philippians 3:13-14 says: “Brethern, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
When Paul was taking about “forgetting those things which are behind”, he was talking about forgetting the past. Forget the failed relationships, forget the past hurts, forget the bad memories, the failures, or temptations that might distract you from moving forward and focusing on your future purpose from God.
When we keep looking back, we forfeit what God is wanting to do in our lives right now. Our hearts become hardened to God’s plans for our lives because we are mourning the old. There is a lack of personal growth, development and forward movement. We become stagnant. If you ever look at stagnant water, you will find that nothing lives there. It becomes a breeding ground for everything that is not healthy. It stinks and is ugly.
Don’t allow your past to keep you from pursuing the future God has in store for you. If all we do is rehash the past hurtful episodes in our lives, it only opens old wounds. We never can heal because we keep looking back. If we keep replaying the happy memories from yesterday, we have become stuck and can no longer move forward.
Now, I’m not saying we should never look back. Isaiah 51:1 says: “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord; look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” We should always look back to see everything God has brought us from and brought us through. This helps our faith to grow. I’m talking about looking back and staying in the past.
Bible Verses About Looking Back
Philippians 3:13
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”
Isaiah 43:18-19
“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.”
Philippians 1:6
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Hebrews 10:17
“then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.“
Conclusion
We often get stuck in our past. Sometimes we are reliving the happy moments, savoring every detail, sometimes we are missing what once was, yearning for the simplicity of those days that seemed to pass too quickly; and sometimes we are reliving painful things that happened to us, allowing the shadows of regret and sorrow, abuse, or trauma to darken our present. Fixating our eyes on the past can hinder our growth and blur God’s desire and plans for our lives. We can never move forward because we keep looking back.
John 8:36 says: “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” You are no longer bound to your past. Break free from the chains that hold you and move into the freedom Christ came to give you. You are more than any mistake you will ever make. You have a great future because Jesus made sure of that. Trust Him and let go of the past so you can live an abundant life and move forward in your God-given purpose.
May you find joy in today and trust God’s plan for your life.
Find Joy In Today 
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