— Devotionals —

Stop Looking Back

Take Me Back…. sounds like a love song gone wrong or a plea to rot on a beach somewhere.

Moving forward is hard. Not only some times, but a lot of times. Disappointment, hurt, tragedy, major changes, and all the messes in between hold us to a point that is reluctant to let us move on. We want to go back to before this or that, or back to where all was well. The future may be bright, but the unknown locks us in with trepidation.

What do we do? How do we let go? What internal treasures can we bring along while we lock away the brokenness that drowned us in the past?

Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert…”

What a promise! What truth! Such good news in all of His Word. But through all the truth and faithfulness, we want to cower on the edge of the past afraid to look the future square in the face.

Proverbs 4:25 ESV 

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

We need to move, one foot in front of the other. We can make excuses, and even have legitimate reasons for not wanting to go. Being stuck in the sand is not an option. We will only drown that way. Move and look forward. The Lord always renews us and creates a new thing.

Move and look forward. The Lord always renews us and creates a new thing. Click To Tweet

Oh, Lord, Your promises ring louder than any celebratory gong. Your sovereign hand holds us so very close. But we are fearful, unsure, and falter in our own confidence. We are like Peter who started to sink when he questioned himself. Father, please don’t allow for us to sink. Help us to get out of the boat and to trust in You to never let us sink. Help us to see Your guiding light all the days of our lives. In Your Name, Lord, Amen.

12 thoughts on “Stop Looking Back”

  1. I do look back now and then – not to regret or pine but to “remember” what the Lord has done. He continues to do new things in me and those around me.

  2. There is so much to gain from looking forward and not backward—primarily, HOPE!!

  3. We are all in the same boat and sure enough we step and sink. It is why we have to look at Him and not ourselves. It is not us fixing it, but His moving on or situations. Great post.

  4. There’s so much counsel in Scripture to focus forward and to wait in hope for what God is going to do! Thanks for this Monday morning boost!

  5. Thank you for this timely reminder!

  6. Moving forward is always hard, but once we get moving it becomes so much easier as God leads us down a new path. We just have to trust him. Thanks for the awesome reminder.

  7. “Don’t look back, you’re not going that direction” is one of my favorite quotes. Being present and facing the future is my motto!

  8. This is so important! We can be tempted to make the comfortable of our hurts and pains an idol! Thank you for speaking truth!

  9. Good morning, Maryann. This post so filled with His wisdom spoke to me. Thank you for these words. In Christ, Julie from FMF

  10. Amen. In our faith journey looking back only caused us headaches. At one point of our homelessness we were caught in a rainstorm and had to quickly set up our tent by the side of the road. There my wife had a melt down. After nearly a year of homelessness by that point she could not stop looking back and remembering the house and middle class life we left behind to follow God. Both my daughters and I talked with her for a long time until we all saw the idol of the past. Thankfully she was able to repent, let the past go and this allowed us to move on. This was difficult though. I am so thankful Jesus is patient with us and helps us see those idols of ‘self’ in us that keep us from Him and moving forward.

    Blessings,
    Homer Les
    http://www.uncompromisingfaith.ca

    1. Thank you for sharing your story. I need to remember this when I start feeling like I am turning things into idols.

      1. You are welcome. Idols are tough. What we discovered is when God asks us to give up something how much resistance is there. The greater the resistance, the bigger the idol. Even though we physically gave up our house the idea of it remained as an idol within my beloved wife until she saw it and could repent.

        Blessings,
        Homer Les
        http://www.uncompromisingfaith.ca

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