[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Don’t look back

Read: Genesis 19:15-26

Meditation verse:

“But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

“Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed” (Genesis 19:17). This was the warning given to Lot by the angels as they prepared to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet Lot’s wife looked back—and she became a pillar of salt.

It’s easy to judge her and say she deserved the consequence of disobedience. But are we not often guilty of doing the same? Don’t we, in our own journeys, look back—dwelling on past mistakes, failures, regrets, or even the comforts we left behind? Don’t we cling to past hurts, disappointments, or unforgiveness? In challenging seasons, how often do we long for “the good old days” instead of trusting God for a better tomorrow? How often do we grumble rather than anchor ourselves in His promises? Indeed, we are just as vulnerable as Lot’s wife.

There are many reasons why constantly looking back can be dangerous. First, you cannot fix your eyes in two directions at the same time. If your gaze is fixed on the past, you will miss the opportunities and direction ahead. This is how many get stuck—unable to move forward because they’re still holding on to what once was. You cannot open a new chapter of your life if you’re still rereading the previous one. Dwelling excessively on past failures can cripple your confidence. Even an unhealthy obsession with past successes can lead to complacency and rob you of fresh ambition. Both hinder progress.

Looking back too often also breeds discontent and ingratitude. It blinds you to the blessings and beauty of the present. When we constantly replay our past, we distort our perception of today, and that distortion can breed anxiety, bitterness, or depression. There’s a reason the front windshield of a car is far larger than the rearview mirror—what lies ahead is far more important than what’s behind. God has declared that His plans for you are good—plans to prosper you and give you a future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Before He promised to do a new thing, He commanded the Israelites: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” (Isaiah 43:18–19).

You cannot live in two realities at the same time. Ecclesiastes 7:8–10 offers this wisdom: “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit… Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.” In other words, let go of the past so you can take hold of the future. God has something ahead with your name on it—something that’s part of His divine agenda.

That said, reflection is not always wrong. The past can be a valuable teacher when approached with the right heart. It can offer wisdom, humility, and insight. But the key is balance: learn from the past, don’t live in it. Honor the journey. Embrace the present. Look ahead with hope.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye

Founder: The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM)

For prayers, counselling or to support our vision of blessing more lives with this devotional, email: rockteachingministry@gmail.com

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