I was completely loaded with gear and had over a mile to walk with all the weight. I was pushing myself as I took one small step at a time. When I was about to give up, I stopped to rest and looked back to where I had started this journey. I was more than halfway. I had come a lot farther than I imagined. At that moment, I was encouraged by my progress, and it gave me the strength to keep pushing forward.

Biblically, there are instructions never to look back. Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt. Jesus told his followers that anyone who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is not worthy of his kingdom. Those are examples of looking back with longing. A desire to return to the place we had left. That is not my encouragement today.

I am telling you to look back so that you can gain strength for the journey ahead. Sometimes, it is good to look back, not with a desire to return, but rather to see how far you have come. Take a moment to pause and remember what your life was like when you first came to Jesus. Think through all the changes you have made and how your life looks different today.

Some days, as a Christian, you can be weighed down by the road that lies ahead and forget how far you have come since you started. Occasionally, it is good to recall the path God has led you down and the person you are today.

Keep pressing on; you have come so far. Don’t give up.