Don’t you dare look back
Just keep your eyes on me
I said you’re holding back
She said shut up and dance with me
This woman is my destiny
She said oh oh oh
Shut up and dance with me

Shut up and Dance with Me, Walk the Moon

Too often in life it’s easy to start looking back and get caught up in what’s gone before. Things that have passed. Things you cannot change. Things that if you hold onto them will leave you broken and unable to enjoy what’s in front of you. “Remember Lot’s wife!” (Luke 17:32)

Throughout the Bible, there are countless stories of men and women that were called to adventure with God. So much so that multiple movies have been made about their lives: Moses, Paul, Noah, Joseph, Ben-Hur, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Dinah, Esther, David, Samson… just to name a few.

While I don’t think God would tell us to “shut up,” and dance with Him, He does want us to be moving forwards, to join Him in the adventure and joy of today rather than looking back and holding onto the things of the past (Philippians 3:13-14). Jesus said that “no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) Eyes forward. 

God doesn’t want our day-to-day to be one of drudgery, regret, rules or burdens. He wants to dance with us. He wants us to enjoy the adventure and move with Him as one. “One final word, friends… keep doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance…” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 MSG)

So “don’t you dare look back,” keep your eyes on Jesus, and step forward into the dance He’s calling you to.