WHEN FOLLOWING JESUS COSTS EVERYTHING PART 4: LOOKING BACK WHILE MOVING FORWARD

WHEN FOLLOWING JESUS COSTS EVERYTHING

PART 4: LOOKING BACK WHILE MOVING FORWARD


Luke 9:61–62 (NIV)

Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus Christ replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”


In Part 3, we uncovered the danger of delayed obedience through the phrase “first let me…”. We learned that even good responsibilities can become excuses, and that trying to secure a backup plan before obeying God often reveals divided loyalty. True discipleship requires immediate and undivided response.


Key Phrase

“...and looks back…”


Opening Thought 

It is possible to be moving forward physically, yet remain attached emotionally. Many people start the journey with Jesus, but their hearts are still tied to what they left behind. In the Kingdom, direction matters—but so does focus.


Insight 🔍

This man sounded willing:

“I will follow you, Lord…”

But again, there was a condition:

“…but first…”

Unlike the previous man who delayed for the future, this one was holding onto the past.

At face value, saying goodbye to family seems harmless. But Jesus Christ discerned something deeper:

A lingering attachment

A divided heart

A reluctance to fully detach

So Jesus responded:

“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back…”


Understanding The Plow Principle 🌾

In ancient farming:

A farmer must fix his eyes forward

Looking back creates crooked lines

Crooked lines ruin the harvest

So Jesus was saying:

“You cannot move forward effectively if your focus is still behind you.”


Biblical Warning: Looking Back Can Cost You 

The story of Lot’s wife gives us a serious warning.

She was:

Brought out of destruction

Given a chance for a new beginning

Clearly instructed not to look back

Yet she looked back—and was turned into a pillar of salt.

Why?

Because her body left Sodom, but her heart was still in it.


Deeper Application 🔥

Looking back is not just remembrance—it can become entanglement. Sometimes, the danger is not just your past—but comparison with others.

You all started together:

in ministry

in business

in life

But now it feels like:

others are ahead

others are progressing faster

others are getting results you expected

And if not guarded, looking back—or even looking sideways—can produce:

covetousness

discouragement

even compromise and corruption

You may begin to think:

“Maybe I took the wrong path…”

“Maybe I should have done it their way…”

“Maybe I need to adjust my values to catch up…”


Powerful Truth 💡

Looking back can pull you into what God already delivered you from. And unhealthy comparison can corrupt what God is building in you.


Balanced Clarity ⚖️

This does not mean you ignore people’s progress. It means you stay aligned with God’s process for your life. Even Elisha removed his past by burning his plow—he eliminated every option of going back.

The issue is not awareness—It is attachment and misalignment.


Real-life Reflection 🧭

Many people are:

physically moving forward, but emotionally stuck in comparison. And slowly, they begin to:

compromise values

adjust standards

chase results outside God’s will

All because they kept looking back—or looking around—without grace.


Spiritual Lesson 📖

This passage teaches us that:

Looking back can lead to spiritual stagnation or destruction. Comparison can corrupt your calling if not guided by grace. True discipleship requires forward focus and trust in God’s timing.


Reflection Questions 🤔

What am I still looking back at that God has called me to leave behind?

Am I comparing my journey with others in a way that affects my obedience?

Is there any area where I feel tempted to compromise just to “catch up”?


Prayer 🙏

Lord Jesus, Help me to keep my focus on You and not on my past or others around me. Deliver me from every attachment that pulls me backward and from every comparison that corrupts my heart. Teach me to trust Your timing and remain faithful to Your process for my life. Amen.


Call To Action ✍️

Guard your heart today. Limit any comparison that is affecting your peace or obedience, and refocus on what God has specifically called you to do.


Next In The Series

Part 5: No Turning Back

In our next episode, we will see that, following Jesus Christ is not just about starting—it is about continuing without retreat. Stay Tuned!

God is speaking, are you listening?




Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson 

(EL-PJ God's penman)


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