Dear Royalty,
We have all been there. You make a major life change; you leave a toxic job, end a draining relationship, move to a new city, or step out into a new spiritual calling. You are excited, full of hope, and ready for the “Promised Land” God whispered to your heart.
But then, the wilderness hits.
The new path gets lonely. The finances get tight. The routine gets exhausting. In those quiet, frustrating moments, a dangerous thought starts to creep in: “Was it really that bad back there? At least I knew what to expect.”
If you are fighting the urge to turn around right now, there is a powerful truth tucked away in Hebrews 11:15 (CEV) that you need to hear today:
“If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time.”
The Open Door to Your Past
This verse is talking about the giants of faith, people like Abraham and Sarah. God told them to pack up their entire lives and head toward a land they had never seen. They spent decades living in temporary tents, waiting on a promise.
Notice what the author of Hebrews points out: They could have gone back at any time.
The road back to their old hometown, Ur, wasn’t blocked by a fiery wall or a military guard. The border was wide open. They had the money, the camels, and the time. The only thing keeping them from returning to their old comforts was their faith.
The same is true for you. The door to your past is rarely locked. You can always pick up the phone and call that ex. You can always slide back into the old habits that felt comfortable. You can always settle for a smaller, safer version of your life. The option to quit is always available.
Look closely at the phrasing in the Contemporary English Version: “If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived…” Other translations say if they had been “thinking“ or “mindful“ of it.
Your feet will always follow your focus.
If you spend all your time talking about the “good old days,” romanticizing a past that actually broke you, or complaining about how hard the current wilderness is, you are building a runway to fly right back to where you started. Abraham and Sarah refused to keep the old country alive in their conversations. They stopped talking about what they lost because they were too busy focused on what they were gaining.
Faith Means Burning the Bridges
The very next verse, Hebrews 11:16, tells us the secret to their endurance: “But they wanted a better country, a heavenly one.”
They realized that the “Promised Land” wasn’t just a physical coordinates on a map; it was a state of dynamic relationship and trust with God. They understood that you cannot possess the future God has for you if your hands are tightly gripping the comforts of your past.
Faith is the radical decision to move forward even when the destination is still invisible. It means recognizing that the discomfort of growth is infinitely better than the false security of a life you’ve outgrown.
Your Next Step
If you are standing in the middle of your own wilderness today, tempted to pack your bags and head backward, take a deep breath. Remind yourself why you left in the first place.
Stop talking about the land you left behind. Stop weighing the options of going back. The door might be open, but you don’t belong through it anymore. Your Promised Land is ahead, not behind. Keep walking.
A fellow Heir
Sharon Paulina Boye
October 9,2026
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