And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are…” Genesis 13:14 NKJV
To get to the place of promise – the future we want – we must always let go of something from the past. This can be a culture, a bad habit, a weakness, a friend, a skill, or a previous accomplishment.
God could not take Abraham to the next level with Lot still in the picture. He started the journey with Lot, and because of the association, something happened – Lot also grew stronger (in wealth). This also means that the farther we carry baggage we should have dropped, the heavier that baggage becomes. Eventually, it will be impossible to break away.
How do we then break away and move on?
1. Let the desire for a better future drive you
Something Abraham did not want in his future was strife. He desired peace and realised that his extra luggage was causing him unrest. So, he took the bold step to begin the separation process.
You know what you want and don’t want when you assess where you are and where you are going. If something from the past keeps giving you an experience you don’t desire to see later, let the desire propel you to act.
2. Find closure
It wasn’t an easy conversation between Abraham and Lot. Abraham was so used to having Lot around, and Lot also knew the benefits of sticking with Abraham. But difficult conversations are necessary.
My default conflict resolution strategy is usually flight and not fight. I have never liked difficult conversations. But I have learnt that such conversations are sometimes the best way to find closure and take the next steps. Is there a difficult conversation with yourself or someone else that you need to have? I pray that you find the strength to have it.
None of these steps is easy, but very necessary if we are to live fulfilling lives. Dragging Lot around may not have made Abraham the father of nations. Who or what is the Lot you must break from in your life? Could you start the separation process today?
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