Don't Look Back! Don't Go Back!

I was reading Ezekiel 17 this morning. Israel had been exiled to Babylon due to their sin. God used several riddles about an eagle to point out Israel's mistake. Israel had sought help from Egypt to free them from Babylon. As I meditated on that, it’s so relevant to today. They sought old bondage to free them from their current bondage.

Egypt was the ultimate representation of bondage for the Israelites. They were enslaved there for over 400 years. Think of all the generations that grew up only knowing slavery? To so many of their ancestors, all they knew to their last breath was struggle, hardship and pain. For all those years of immense bondage, God in turn, did big boisterous acts to deliver them. Contrastingly He could have had Israel wake up one day and exit without fanfare, but that’s not the God we serve. God was making it known that it was in no way by Israel’s power that they would leave Egypt, but only by His. Think of all the miraculous things God did to remove them from Egypt; a burning bush, rods into serpents, all of the plagues, and finally the Red Sea. Now in Ezekiel 17, when trouble comes, Israel runs back to where God set them free from.

God wants us to be moving forward. He wants us progressing not regressing. I think of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19) The angel told Lot and his family not to look back as the city was destroyed. Lot's wife did look back and she turned into a pillar of salt. Why did she look back? Because part of her heart was still there. Part of her did not want to or could not let go and it cost her her life.

There are things that God wants us to let go. It's not because He's unfair or trying to be mean or even trying to ruin our fun. No. God is saying "Let it go because it will destroy you. Let it go, it's not right for you." Or even, "Let it go, it will kill you."

What things has God been telling you to let go? What is He trying to destroy and your about to turn around like Lot's wife? I believe had she not turned into salt, she would've tried to go back. Worse yet, she maybe would've convinced Lot to go back with her. God may not be removing a particular item, habit, or mindset from you, but an actual person. God may be telling you to not look back on a relationship. Yes, God loves you so much that He will lead you to end unhealthy relationships. He isn’t calling you to “stick out” relationships that will destroy you emotionally, and even physically.

There have been several friendships I've had to let go. After the emotions die down, and the rose colored glasses are removed, I understand why that relationship had to end. I see how it wasn't good for me and how it would've stopped me from moving forward. God loved Israel. He set them free from the bondage of Egypt, but in a time of crisis, they were looking back. Know when we look back, we're not always seeing it the right way. It's like a mirage. We see what we want or hope to see. We look back and downplay the hard times. We look back and think "It wasn't that bad." On several occasions after the Israelites left Egypt they cried out to Moses to take them back there. They complained they at least had this or that in Egypt, because now they're in the wilderness starving. They may have had this or that in Egypt, but what else was there? Poverty, physical torment and pain, bondage, religious persecution, and the list goes on. Don’t focus only on the positives, but realize what you were delivered from also had negatives. Negatives so bad that made you cry out for deliverance. The Israelites cried out for deliverance from Egypt’s persecution. God gave it. Now they were trying to return.

Before we reach for the old vice to cope with the new dilemma, take a moment to pause and pray. Ask God to truly show you what that old vice did to you. Ask God to take off your rose colored glasses and expose it for what it truly is, something you don't need. Ask God for the strength to resist its temptation and not pick it back up. James 4:7 says "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Be honest with God and admit you're struggling. You don't have to be strong in front of God. He already knows our limitations and weaknesses and He still says "Come." So go to God, He will give you the strength to resist, and watch satan give up! It doesn't mean he won't be back to try again. However each time you succeed, the next battle is easier. Remember if we don't look back we won't go back.

Philippians 3:13-16 says "...Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." Paul is talking about finishing the race and finishing strong. However, there is a theme that also applies here. You can't move forward looking back. Growing in Christ is letting the past stay the past. It is a conscious decision to press on. Don't look back. Don't go back. Keep the Egypts of your life in the rearview mirror!