Burn Our Bridges Behind Us
We can’t go back when we burn our bridges behind us.
An army occasionally burns bridges when it does not want its enemy to follow. However, that also means the army can’t return across those bridges.
Likewise, we burn our bridges behind us when we make decisions we can’t change.
We can’t undo them, just as we can’t unscramble eggs. For example, we might:
- Get a tattoo
- Quit school
Our behavior can also burn our bridges behind us.
Some actions make people want us to stay away. This often happens if we:
- Yell at our boss and quit our job
- Get a divorce
Rather than build bridges, we destroy them.
Sometimes we can repair burned bridges or build new ones.
Yet, the situation will never be the same. We try to make it as good as possible. Much like we mend fences, we rebuild our bridges.
That may mean we:
- Walk through water until we build a new bridge
- Cover our tattoo or have surgery to remove it
- Return to school as an older student
- Apologize to our boss or spouse
Water under the bridge means the past can’t be changed. What happened in the past may or may not have been our choice. However, when we burn our bridges behind us, we make the choice. Let’s be sure we want to live with the choices we make.
“If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me” (Jeremiah 15:19 NIV).
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3 thoughts on “Burn Our Bridges Behind Us”
I appreciate your explanation, Diana! As a kid, I pictured burning bridges as affecting relationships between people, so that you couldn’t have a meeting of the minds with them anymore, say. I pictured the burning bridges in front or between people, not behind them. And I’ve had that picture to this day for some reason. Your article enlightened me.
I’m so glad, Kathy. Thank you for taking the time to share. I can see how that perspective makes such a great difference.