This Week's Message: Stop Looking Back!!!

"I remember back in the day when I was on top of the world..." these are very famous words by people who believe their lives have taken a turn for bad or worse.

They often reminesce about the good old days when they had enough money to shut down a restuarant or enough connections, prestige and whatever else you can think of, to swing things in their favour. Complaints follow such remineces.."I don't understand why God chose to put me in my present situation", "I'm tired of praying please.

People that don't pray have better lives" "Why do bad people get everything they want in life but I'm here playing relentlessly with nothing to show for it".... I understand these complaints because I have been there too; I have looked back on the good old days and wondered why I was suddenly 'stuck' in a particular situation. Was God even listening to me? Was it his plan to punish me? Why couldn't I just stay in those good old days?

The destruction of Soddom and Gomorrah is one that we are all familiar with; and of course the legendary transformation that happened to Lot's wife when she looked back. She didn't just become a pillar of salt, let's remember that. She became stuck! Salt can't walk or talk. Wherever you live a block of salt is where it will be until something like water washes it away.

Painting by Raphael of Lot and His Daughters Fleeing from Sodom and Gomorrah

Lot's wife became stuck in the same spot, not just because she looked back but because she looked back with longing and probably thought in her heart "I'm leaving the awesome good old days behind and I just don't think I can do it'. The Israelites are also a good example; they spent years in the wilderness when the journey to the promised land could have simply taken 40 days. They looked back at Egypt with a desire to return and they complained.

"While we were in Egypt, we could eat meat", "In Egypt, we had bread, In Egypt we had what God has refused to give us here". They kept looking back and they remained stuck in the wilderness for years, even facing death and other adverse conditions.

Are you looking back? It's time to STOP!!! No one is saying it's a bad thing to think about the past once in a while. I actually do that; who knows? I might come across a lesson I missed back then!

The problem is looking back at those good old days with an urge to return. How can God take you forward when you keep looking back? Some people say 'But I was doing great back then; if he wanted to take me forward, why didn't he just make me greater?' I'll answer that with a question..."during those good old days, did you fully acknowledge the presence of God in your life? Did you worship him wholeheartedly or was it just a hobby you visited once in a while when you cared to?

STOP LOOKING BACK! You might say "I served God wholeheartedly in the past. Why am I stuck here?" Remember the God we serve; He is not man that He will lie or fail.

If he has taken you from the 'good old days, believe you are in transition for something greater! For the glory of the latter temple shall be greater than the former! Trust God!Keep your eyes on Him- Upwards and Forward! He has a plan for all of us!




By Demi Fayemiwo for Convenant Relationships