Never look back after a breakup; always move forward. We will look at the Bible’s perspective on the importance of letting go of the past. It makes no difference if you are religious or not. What really matters is the moral of the story. The story we’ll be discussing is Lot’s wife’s story. Keep an open mind if you are not religious, okay? This story is excellent, and it emphasizes the importance of not looking back.
Never look back. Get this: In this story, God decides to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because they are wicked. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Sodom and Gomorrah, whatever happened there was a complete show. They engaged in sexual immorality and committed a variety of sins, making Sodom and Gomorrah a very sinful place. However, God shows mercy to Lot and his family, instructing them to flee the city and never return. Lot, his wife, and their two daughters are guided by angels to avoid the impending destruction. As they flee, they are given clear instructions: “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back or stop anywhere on the plain; flee to the mountains or you’ll be swept away.”
Despite these warnings, Lot’s wife looks back on the city as it is destroyed. As a result, she transforms into a pillar of salt. When she looked back, she transformed into a pillar of salt. This act of looking back is frequently interpreted as disobedience or a sign of longing for the sinful life she was leaving behind, which led to her tragic death. This story serves as a reminder to keep moving forward and not dwell on the past, especially when God is calling for change and new beginnings.
Now let us draw a parallel between Lot’s wife’s story and a breakup. When you reflect on what happened in your relationship, it’s clear that it was not healthy. By the way, you can look back to draw conclusions, but the essence of the story is not to wish for whatever happened or was there, because it wasn’t a scene and wasn’t healthy for you. There is a reason why this relationship ended, and you are being called to do something else. This relationship had run its course. If this bond was truly strong, you would still be together.
And if you look back, you won’t turn into a pillar of salt; it’s simply a metaphor for the destruction that occurred. Looking at it and saying, “I miss that”—do you truly miss this destruction? Do you truly miss the dysfunctional relationship? Do you really miss the person who mistreated you? That makes your life feel like Sodom and Gomorrah, a place that was not good for you. You want to return to an unsuitable environment. You weren’t truly happy, and you were aware of this. You want to go there because you don’t believe your future will be better.
You’re longing for the familiar; you’re longing for what you know, which is normal because humans are wired to crave the familiar. We are very habituated; we are programmed to move in specific patterns. Think about it like this: You awoke at a certain time this morning and did certain things, and the patterns you follow are exactly the same as yesterday. You’ve been living the same way for nearly your entire life because you’re programmed to seek the familiar. Your ex was very familiar to you, so you seek that familiarity.
That’s fine, but I want you to think of it as something unhealthy that you were familiar with. It’s okay to miss them; your breakup is still fresh. But understand why you think this way, and realize that looking back on the destruction will not help you move forward. It is not. As previously stated, you can look back to draw conclusions. After that, no more opening the box of worms. Put it behind you. Put it behind you because otherwise, you’ll be stuck.
I believe that in the story, when Lot’s wife transforms into a pillar of salt, it simply represents stagnation. Every time you look back, you remain stagnant and unable to move forward. When you look back, you can’t go in both directions at the same time. So hopefully this interpretation helps you come to a better realization. Whether you are religious or not, I sincerely hope you understood what I was trying to say and what this story is really saying to you.
With that said, thank you for reading this article. I am sending you love and healing.
