Not looking back to the past is hard to do. We look either with regret or nostalgia and get stuck in a past that can’t be changed. Some people choose to dwell in the past instead of expectantly seeking the future. Don’t be like Lot’s wife in Genesis 19 by looking back, ruminating, or not letting go of the past and forgetting the hope of the future. She could not see the promise of a new beginning or life without letting go of the past.
When you look back into the past you risk getting stuck yearning for the past life you had, dwelling over lost opportunities, getting angry over incidents all over again, or contemplating how to change the past, which you can’t do. The woulda, coulda, and shoulda do not play a role in the future. The past creates an emotional attachment that often is unhealthy depending on how you view it. Dwelling on the past can hinder the future since you cannot change what has already been done.
Sometimes it’s hard to not look back. However, when you do, it must be a healthy process. You can look back in two ways either negatively by ruminating with regrets and dwelling on the past or positively by reflecting for understanding and personal improvement.
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Lot and his family in Genesis 19 were warned by the two angels of God’s coming wrath to destroy the town of Sodom. They were instructed in Genesis 19:17 (NCV) to … “Run for your lives! Don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Run to the mountains, or you will be destroyed”. Lot’s wife could not let go of her past life despite all the negative aspects of Sodom. Despite knowing and being instructed not to look back, she looked back with regret for one more glance at what she was giving up and turned into a pillar of salt. She died and her future died because she could not let go.
The past seems safer than the future as it’s a place we know for certain. The future lies with uncertainty which creates fear, anxiety, and hesitation. So, the past is more appealing even if it’s filled with negativity.
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When looking back reflectively on your life, choose to seek understanding that will have a positive impact on your future. We are to learn from our past mistakes but not to relive them constantly, that’s when regret, shame, and pain occur. Understanding should be a positive activity that will create personal growth and self-awareness to identify areas of your life that need improvement such as behavior, strengths, weaknesses, and overall personal development. Another positive reason to look back is nostalgia for giving testimony on how you overcame past incidents such as abuse, financial loss, or substance addiction.
God wants us to look at what He is doing now in our lives for our futures. By building our faith without fear, it helps us not to get stuck in the past. Fear prevents us from moving forward. Here are some ways to move forward:
- Meditate on God’s Word to help you build courage towards what God has for you.
- Use the past as a testimony to help others, and yourself, while glorifying God for bringing you out of those situations.
- Reflect on the past for understanding and personal growth.
The past is the past. So, choose wisely when looking back, if you look at all, to be reflective for understanding and not dwell in the past. For the future will pass you by while you’re lingering in the past. Just keep moving forward with faith. Y? Why Not!
Reprint: from published in The Shopper, South Holland, IL 10/25/2023
