Pillar of Salt

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”- Gen 19:26/ Luke 17:33

Sitting on my window seal the Lord brought the story of Lots wife to mind, again. I then heard the gentle, loving whisper of my Lord say these words, “stop looking back at what you cannot change. It happened. No move forward.” I was going to be of no earthly good to Him if I kept looking back! 

There are a lot of commentaries that try and explain why Lot’s wife turned around. We know why she was turned into a pillar of salt...disobedience. But, why did she turn around?

There are a lot of reasons as to why, and one of them was probably, yes, unbelief but I think one of the reasons was decidedly more human and simple. That was her home. 

God was showing Lot and his family such grace and mercy by getting them out of Sodom…the LORD had been more than patient with them, and spared their lives because of Abraham. God had this amazing plan in store. He took them out to bring them in, and yet Lot’s wife looked back.

She couldn’t see the blessing before her because all she could do was look behind her. The LORD had something greater ahead of her over the hill if she would have only kept her eyes straight ahead.

If we spend all our time looking back at what we can't change, we can’t move forward into what God has ahead! 

 For some reason tonight that word, pillar, stands out. When this story is either visually portrayed or verbally explained it’s done in a way that makes  Lot’s wife seem like she was turned into a pile of salt on the ground instead of a pillar. The Bible is very clear that she turned into “a pillar of salt" not a mound or pile of salt. 

Ps 144:11 says, “May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.” When we think “pillar” the image of ancient Greece may come to mind. Pillars were strong, but they also had to be built, carved, shaped. They were beautiful, but they had a purpose. They were not only visually stunning, but were made to support—pillars had a purpose.

So in the context of that verse to be a “graceful pillar” is a good thing. But in Gen 19:26 to be a “pillar” was not a good thing in Lot's wife's case. She became “pillar of salt" when she looked back. She was of now of no use. Typically a pillar served a purpose...but in her case...she serve none now. The fact that the Word says she became a pillar tells us that she was  now stationary like a statue...like a pillar. But instead of being graceful, strong, fulfilling her purpose (what a pillar was created to do) she now just stood there...and was no use.

When we continue to look back at our past, looking back and what we cannot change we too turn into pillars of salt; whether we realize it or not. We are unable to move forward because we're always looking behind us. It’s like trying to drive forward while looking in your rearview mirror the whole time. If we don’t take our eyes off the past (It could have happened yesterday, last week, last year, or 10 years ago.whatever it is that you keep looking back at) we will be of no use in the future God has planned.

I texted a sweet friend of mine and just asked her to be praying for me about a situation that I knew I should be over by now, but I jokingly told her it just feels like those last 10lbs you can’t seem to get ride of. There were just some things I was still having a hard time shaking. I was frustrated with my own self. Ever been there? 

She texted me back and said, “You are still trying to change what happened. You can’t change it, you have to just let it go.”

It was true! Over and over again the Lord would lead me back to this simple verse in (Gen 19:26) reminding me that if I keep turned around and fixing my eyes on what I couldn't change I was going to miss out on where the LORD was and wanted to take me. I was going to miss out on the new things He is going. I am going to miss it!!!

I needed to just let Him have it. Let him redeem it, and use it. There are things in your life that maybe like me, you realize you can’t change; as much as you'd like to. But instead of looking back and living in the regret and shame of what you can’t change allow God to heal and mend your heart, and then watch him use (whatever it is) for His glory.

A lesson learned is a lesson learned. But are we going to allow God to use it for his glory is the question?

Yes, there are some things that we need to just let be in the past and move on. Some things we just need to flat just GET OVER IT! There are some things that God desires to redeem and mend like (friendships, relationships, marriages, families) but it still takes forgiving, reconciling, time, and letting the past be in the past. 

The moving forward part will look different for everyone depending on the specific situation. But this I do know, if we just keep living in the past we become pillars of salt—just stuck. 

After I got that text from one friend I later talked to another friend of mine about an entirely different situation but in that case she said, “let it be.” After I got off the phone with her I started thinking about what she said, along with what my other friend had shared earlier, “let it go.” I had been praying to God for a Word in terms of what to do. In that moment it clicked!! I felt like the Lord say, 

“Let it go. Let it be.” 

I can’t change what happened! Let it go, and let what is going to be…be! I just needed to rest in God's sovereignty. Maybe the same goes for you. Is there something that you’ve realized you have ZERO control over? There are some things that God requires of participation on, but then there are just some things that God is simply saying I need you to just trust me. I’ve got this! “Let it go. Let it be.”

 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – (Isaiah 43:19)

Maybe your like me, and you look around at your situation sometimes and it defiantly feels like a bit of a wasteland and wilderness? But God is saying he is making a way in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. He is working! He is moving! He is doing a new thing!!!! But will miss it if we keep looking back!!!!

I don’t want to miss out on a single thing God has for me. Do you? I didn’t’ think so! Take it day-by-day. Step-by-step. But God is doing a new thing…something we cannot even imagine. If we will trust Him!