Single & Salty.

As if 2021 doesn’t have enough uncertainty of its own, I started the year in a way that was extremely unfamiliar to me. Single. Whether you are new to the club like me or consider yourself a seasoned single, I want to share what the Lord has placed on my heart. Especially during the Valentine season.

Valentines day is one of those Holidays that is either loved or hated. There is rarely an in between. I personally love the Holiday. It is filled with lots of candy, cards, and teddy bears. Couples take trips, go to fancy dinners, and post super cute photos the entire weekend. It truly just warms my heart. For others, they may feel a little salty about it. The day and days leading up to it, serves as a loud reminder to everyone that is single, that you are indeed single (in case you were unaware). Let’s be clear, the month of February is not the only thing to do this. Social media loves to share the “on this day, today” memories, family always asking “How is what’s his name doing”. I mean it is always something. I have found that, it is in these moments of memories that we begin to place our focus on looking back. You start reading old texts, looking at pictures and videos, or actually going back to the relationship (mhm sis, I’m coming at all of us rn). I haven’t been in this season of singleness long, but God has been revealing how important this time is. We can not continue to spend time looking back or at what’s going on around us. What God is calling you out of and into with your singleness has to be where your focus is at.

The story of Lot’s wife instantly comes to mind when I think about looking backwards. In the book of Genesis we see a man named Lot (the nephew of Abraham) receive difficult, but specific instruction. There is a lot of background to the story that I am getting ready to share (like always I encourage you to read for yourself), but the part of that truly stuck out to me can be found in Genesis chapter 19. Lot and his family were living in a city that was full of sin, called Sodom and Gomorrah. God was planning to destroy the land, but saw to it that Lot and his family were gone before He did. The Lord sent two angels to him urging him to get up, take his family, and leave. This is not the first time God had called him to leave the place he was and go somewhere else. So you can only imagine the emotions that he was feeling. Scripture says in verse 16 that Lot hesitated, but the Lord had compassion on him, took his hand, and led his family right outside of the city. What happens next is so imperative. One of the angels said to them “run for your lives! don’t look back and don’t stop anywhere on the plain! run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” This was the difficult and specific instruction that I was talking about. It is important to know, when God speaks it is not a suggestion. Or a this might happen, so if you want, do this. No ma’am. This is proven in the following verses. God does exactly what He said and sends fire to destroy the land. “But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.” [Genesis 19:26]

Could it be that your relationship is Sodom and Gomorrah. A place of comfort, but a place of sin. Has God been calling you out, instructing you to run away and not to look back? God had promised Lot’s wife and her family provision and safety where He was calling them, but she looked back. It is not easy to leave the person, place or thing that has served as comfort in your life. Hesitation is a normal feeling. The what ifs, the insecurities, uncertainty, the lack of knowledge. They are all feelings that God is fully aware of. Just as God had compassion for Lot and his family, His compassion remains for us as well. Give God your hand, allow Him to guide you out. When He does bring you out, keep going in the direction that He instructed. Your feet will walk in the direction of your eyes. Where are you looking?

Sis, I don’t even know what your relationship status is. What I do know, is that God is always looking out for us and will always call us to things. It is important that we do not take his words as mere suggestion, but understand the importance of His instruction. Be encouraged in this season to let go of your past heartbreaks, relationships, and even situation-ships. God is not punishing you by asking you to not look back, he just knows that if we stay looking behind us we will miss the glory ahead. Trust the Father of your future. Trust that while in the waiting, He is shaping and molding you for the right relationship. When the memories pop up, the questions are asked, and the Holiday’s come around, set your eyes on Christ. Unlike Lot’s wife, we will not be salty.

“Remember Lot’s Wife”

Luke 17:32

“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things”

Colossians 3:2