Run…..

Run for your life.  If you can’t run – speed-walk….either way, you need to get a move on…and do it quickly.  In the military we would say “At a Double Time, March,” which meant to pick up the pace, or start running.

But speaking of running…are we tired yet?  We need to keep going and get as far away as we can, as fast as we can.  Don’t look back though.

*sigh*

You looked back didn’t you?  Don’t you remember what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back?  Genesis 19:26 tells us she became a pillar of salt.

*POOF!*

(Ok..so I took some artistic liberties. Lot’s Wife wasn’t really turned into table salt. Sorry)

Although, this does seem a lot excessive, right?  It’s not really thought, because they were told not to look back.  Really, they were given explicit instructions not to…

“As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away! (Genesis 19:17)”

See….not really excessive.  There comes a time when we have to stop looking back.

There are so many songs dedicated to not going back to the things and the way that we used to be, and asking God to change and mold us.  Now, I am not going to pretend that I haven’t looked back a time or two, or twenty-two.  I am glad however, that the Lord has seen fit not to turn me into a pillar of salt because of it.  Now while looking back I have (sometimes I’ve done these all at once, and sometimes by themselves):

– Tripped

– Stumbled

– Fallen <–that was fun (sarcasm)

– Backslid

– Given up

– Questioned God <–that was dumb (ok…it was really questionable on my part)

The list actually goes on and on.  All because I took my eyes off the prize, stopped moving forward, and started looking back.  I stopped running for my life.  When things happen in our lives it is easy to look back, and slide back into what we know because it was comfortable to us – familiar.  I mean – God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, gave them freedom, a new song to sing, parted the RED SEA!  And they still slid back into worshiping idols….comfort.  So if it was easy for them, of course it’s going to be easy for us, right?

When we have to let go of the things that are hurting us, yet we “believe” are comfortable just because we have been in them for a long time, even though they are hurting us and causing us pain – i.e. relationships/friendships/jobs/certain pairs of pants/situations – we will take 5-10 steps forward, give ourselves a pat on the back, then turn around, and look behind us at whatever it is we left behind that’s beckoning us back into those “Situationships.”  Furthermore, to be completely truthful about 8 out of 10 times we will go right back to our comfort zone after God brings us out because – well…the unknown is absolutely scary and we are at a loss of what to do once we get to the new place.  Do we strike up a new friendship?  Do we stay single a while?  Do I start my own company/look for a new job/stay single this time/buy pants a bigger size? What?!  So instead of asking God for direction we scurry back to the place we just left.  Running faster to return then we did to leave.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)”

”Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25 -27)”

Sometimes things will not always be comfortable.  Okay.  To be honest, things are seldom comfortable.  We will be lonely, sad, sometimes depressed, of course uncomfortable and the urge to turn around and run back to the things that made us comfortable will be strong.  I urge you, I beg you, I PRAY with you and FOR you that you please DON’T DO IT!  It’s not worth it.  Keep marching straight ahead, look neither left nor right.  Matter of fact – put blinders on, wear them day and night. Stay the path that God has put you on.  Trust in him.  Stay on the path.  It’s totally worth it!  There are happy days ahead.  It is not all doom and gloom.  Trust me!

Run!

Do not look back.  Do not go back.  There is nothing there for you or me.  We must continue forward so we don’t lose everything that we have gained or are going to gain.  God is doing a new thing, in a new season, and sometimes you have to leave some people in the city, or place where they are because not everyone can go with you (Sorry to whoever you are).  No matter how much we wish it so, beg it so, or cry it so.  We cannot pray someone into salvation, or wish, or force them there.  That is a decision they have to make themselves, and if they keep looking back and walking backwards you can’t continue to go with them, that is not healthy.  You must continue to go forward.  Either they will go with you or they will look backwards towards the city.  Either way you must continue onward.  You cannot move forward if you are trying to drag them with you. There comes a time when you have to let go of their hand and ask them “Are you willing to run?”  If the answer is no…you must march on.

If you stumble that is ok.  If you fall that is fine too.  Even if you get knocked back a few steps – hey, it happens.  Forward momentum is the key.

So will you march on or look back? The decision is up to you.

©Words With Faith2017

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