This just in: rear view mirrors are totally unnecessary. who knew?

As I drove home from the city last night I found myself getting extremely distracted by what was in my rear view mirror. When I came back to the reality that I was still moving forward at a steady pace (I may or may not have been speeding) the thought occurred to me that this is much like life.

So often I find myself haunted by what is in my past. I find myself staring at it so much so that I completely forget about the present.

I forget that I am still moving forward.

Sometimes I focus so much on my past because I don't want to go back to the way I was that I miss countless opportunities in my present.

Or worse..my past becomes my present...again.

I am sure I am not alone in this vicious cycle.

And if I am..well..then you all need to stop lying to yourselves and join me in this fight (or more surrender) against the past.

Growing up in a Christian home and going to Sunday school and youth group my whole life, and not to mention my k-12 Christian education, I could not help but think about the story of Lot..well, more of Lot's wife.

Her human nature took over and killed her.

For those of you who don't know this story allow me to sum it up for you.

Genesis 19

Lot and his family (wife and 2 daughters) lived in a town called Sodom.
Sodom, along with the neighboring community of Gomorrah, were wicked.
The level of wickedness, I can not comprehend.
God sends two angels to destroy everything...yes, everything.
Lot and his family are spared if they run...and more importantly if they do not look back.
Wife looks back...dead.

I urge you to actually go read this passage for waaaaay more details that I will most likely discuss in my next blog. It's a fairly short chapter so please please go read it.

Genesis 19:17b (Angels speaking to Lot and his family.)

"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!"

What I find so interesting about this urgent command from the angels is the "don't stop anywhere in the plain!" part.

The human (annoying) nature in me goes, "but why?"

I'm far enough away aren't I? I'm not in the city any more.

I'm not doing drugs any more but I hang out with my friends who still do. So what if I take a couple hits?

I'm not having sex with my boyfriend any more but we mess around still because, well, we're "in love".

I'm not getting drunk any more but I can't just order coke..my friends will make fun of me.

I'm not going to strip clubs any more but I look at porn from time to time..I'm horny and no one has to know.

We constantly put ourselves out on this tight rope of temptation because we have somehow convinced ourselves that we will not fall into the pit hole of sin again.

You will fall.

Every time.

We also convince ourselves that there are certain sins that are worse then others.

When I (often) find myself debating back and fourth between the devil on my shoulder and the Holy Spirit in my heart, I find myself asking one question;

"Who will my decision bring happiness to?"

The thought of disappointing God is troubling enough but thinking that I have somehow made satan happy makes me sick.

When I think about how many times I have let satan think he is winning it makes me that more bold in my love for Jesus.

In my research in the story of Lot I happened upon a verse in Luke. I am sure most of you have heard Luke 17:33,

"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."

But the verse that has made the biggest impact on me today is the verse directly before it, Luke 17:32..it's just three simple words.

Remember
Lot's
Wife
!

Stop looking in your rear view mirror (this is clearly metaphorical..please use your actual rear view mirror..it saves lives. :)

Let go of the pain and regret from your past that is paralyzing you to the point where you are just going through the motions in the present.

Remember the lessons from your past mistakes but stop reliving everything you could of done differently.

Move on.

Let it go.

Live in the present and look forward to the future God so desperately wants for you.

Stop missing out on what God needs you for today because you are so stuck on the missed opportunities in your past. For your present will soon be your past so stop adding to the list of regrets.

"Let God plunder the enemy by bringing so much good from the bad, satan with regret ever taking us to the wilderness of sin. What divine vengeance occurs when we let God use our past failures to humble us, refine us, and use us all the more effectively."
- Beth Moore.