Don't Look Back

 

God wants to bless you. But sometimes the blessing He wants to give you requires leaving your comfort zone and launching out into unknown and sometimes uncharted territory.  Do you trust Him enough to be obedient? Do you trust Him enough to leave the familiar? Do you believe that what lies ahead is better than what is behind you?

According to the account in Genesis 18 and 19, Abraham’s cousin Lot and his family lived in a city called Sodom. God was extremely displeased with the moral corruption of Sodom and its neighboring city, Gomorrah, and planned to destroy them both.  Abraham pleaded on behalf of his relative to at least spare Lot and his immediate family.  God agreed, however, in order for them to live they had to flee Sodom, head to a different city, and keep their eyes in front of them. God’s angels warned Lot’s family not to look back or else they, too, would be destroyed.

Lot and his daughters followed the instructions given by the angels.  Lot’s wife did not. Soon after they set off, she disobeyed God and looked back at Sodom. The moment she took her eyes off the promised blessing and looked back in the direction of her past, she immediately turned into a pillar of salt!

The bible doesn’t specify why Lot’s wife looked back.  Perhaps she wanted to see whether Sodom would indeed be destroyed.  Or maybe she wanted a final look at the home she had grown to know and love. But whatever the reason, she was disobedient and the results were deadly.

Although there are numerous lessons to be learned from this account, a few things stand out to me during this season of my life.

First, when God tells us to do something, we must do it.  Disobedience has deadly consequences. We cannot afford to compromise. We must take action to passionately follow His commands, understanding that obedience is always better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22b).

Second, God is a loving God who has wonderful things in store for His children.  He is also true to His word. When He urges you to leave your comfort zone, step into the unknown, and put your complete trust in Him, He is able to bless you exceeding abundantly above all you can ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). In essence, all roads of trust and obedience lead to blessings!

Finally, don’t look back. Don’t allow yourself to return to the comfort zone of your past. Don’t even flirt with the idea of returning. Be confident that what you have left behind doesn’t compare to what He is calling you to step into!