The past is important. The past can help us learn from our mistakes. The past also shapes us into who we are. However, if we focus too much on our past is that a good thing?
In Genesis 19 we find the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Two angels come to the city and Lot, Abraham's nephew, invites them to his home. Some very odd events happen but in the end the angels tell Lot and his family to leave because God is going to destroy the cities. Lot is hesitant at first so the angels grab his hand and his family's hands and take them out of the city. The angels tell Lot and his family to flee to the mountains and don't look back. Lot asks to just go to a near town named Zoar. The angels agree to this because of the Lord's mercy. Then God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Unfortunately Lot's wife looks back at the cities. Because of that she is turned into a pillar of salt.
What was going through Lot's wife's head? We don't know. But, I have a guess. She might have been thinking: "I really miss my home. I worked so hard to get the decor just right. And, I miss my friends. Why would God destroy my friends and my home? Why can't we go back? I had such good times there. Doesn't God care about that? Maybe if I could get one last glimpse of my home that would suffice." Then she looks back and BAM! She turns into a pillar of salt.
Many of us probably wonder why she looked back when she was told not to. But we forget, she probably wasn't just looking back because she was curious. She was looking back at her home, her friends, her past...
We may be tempted to think we would never do such a thing. But, in a way, some of us have. Have you ever reflected back on your life and thought "wow I had some good times then and there. I wish I could go back." When you do that you are doing what Lot's wife is doing. You are focusing too much on the past. Now, I'm not saying that you should not reflect. Reflecting is good and important. Reflecting helps us learn from mistakes. But if we focus too much on the past to the point where we are not moving forward that's a problem.
Philippians 3:13-14 says "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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I love the way Paul uses a word picture to get his point across. If you are running a race and you look back too long what will happen? That's right, you will crash and burn. We are to look forward to our goal. What's our goal? Our goal is heaven. If we are focused on heaven then we will do what we are called to do. If we are focused on heaven we will follow what God wants us to do each day.
So, are you focused too much on the past? What can you do to focus on your heavenly goal today? How can you follow God in your life every day?
In Genesis 19 we find the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Two angels come to the city and Lot, Abraham's nephew, invites them to his home. Some very odd events happen but in the end the angels tell Lot and his family to leave because God is going to destroy the cities. Lot is hesitant at first so the angels grab his hand and his family's hands and take them out of the city. The angels tell Lot and his family to flee to the mountains and don't look back. Lot asks to just go to a near town named Zoar. The angels agree to this because of the Lord's mercy. Then God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Unfortunately Lot's wife looks back at the cities. Because of that she is turned into a pillar of salt.
What was going through Lot's wife's head? We don't know. But, I have a guess. She might have been thinking: "I really miss my home. I worked so hard to get the decor just right. And, I miss my friends. Why would God destroy my friends and my home? Why can't we go back? I had such good times there. Doesn't God care about that? Maybe if I could get one last glimpse of my home that would suffice." Then she looks back and BAM! She turns into a pillar of salt.
Many of us probably wonder why she looked back when she was told not to. But we forget, she probably wasn't just looking back because she was curious. She was looking back at her home, her friends, her past...
We may be tempted to think we would never do such a thing. But, in a way, some of us have. Have you ever reflected back on your life and thought "wow I had some good times then and there. I wish I could go back." When you do that you are doing what Lot's wife is doing. You are focusing too much on the past. Now, I'm not saying that you should not reflect. Reflecting is good and important. Reflecting helps us learn from mistakes. But if we focus too much on the past to the point where we are not moving forward that's a problem.
Philippians 3:13-14 says "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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I love the way Paul uses a word picture to get his point across. If you are running a race and you look back too long what will happen? That's right, you will crash and burn. We are to look forward to our goal. What's our goal? Our goal is heaven. If we are focused on heaven then we will do what we are called to do. If we are focused on heaven we will follow what God wants us to do each day.
So, are you focused too much on the past? What can you do to focus on your heavenly goal today? How can you follow God in your life every day?
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