A pillar of salt

"But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt" Genesis 19:26

It was a harsh chapter.  Lot was being rushed out of a currupt city about to be destroyed by the Lord.  Even now reading it, I get freaked out.  But in this one verse I get so much.  For most of us we all at some point have had to make the difficult decision of leaving something familiar and comforting behind, no matter how bad it was for us.  For me, it was a relationship almost five years ago, and now a church building I've grown to love.  But God is using that relationship I left behind to help me see that GREATER things are in store!
Can you imagine if it had been the way it was for Lot's wife for me?? Thank you JESUS, that I didn't suffer the same consequence because truth be told, I looked back.  More than once.  But honestly, if I thought about the times I did look back I'd see what it did to me spiritually.  I almost could be compared to a pillar of salt... if you could compare salt to tears.  I cried a lot over the loss.  As Lot's wife probably did too.  She was leaving all she knew behind, and had to watch as her home burnt to the ground.  But she only got a glance.  The bible doesn't say the time table in her looking back, but it did say the consequence. 

When God has great things for us and we second guess them He's not some big bully up in the sky waiting to smoosh us like ants.  Because of Jesus we now have the freedom to look back, but I wouldn't suggest it.  Looking back diverts your attention to what's ahead... Sometimes the plan is not obvious, it's just "get up and go".  And it takes a lot of faith to "get up and go" when you are in a long-term relationship, or occupying a building that's been the place you ran to whenever you needed something tangible. 
No one ever tells you how hard it will be, because its different for everyone involved.  Yes, I've cried knowing the building that changed my life is not going to be there as I've known it.  But should that keep me from believing God for what's ahead?? NO WAY.
Like I said earlier, there's some work that needs to be done.  There's ground that needs to be weeded, and tilled, and seeds to be planted, and I'm planning on doing my part.  I've done it before, so I know I can do it again.  Saying goodbye to things that need saying goodbye to isn't that hard this time around.  After all, it is just a building.  And nothing lasts forever.  Except for God, and He's not going anywhere.