The Lot’s Wife Syndrome: Is That You?

This is for the Christian woman entrepreneur who is stuck looking back. If that’s not you, share this issue with someone you love. That would be awesome. 

 The Silent Epidemic in Christian Female Entrepreneurship

I've been wanting to share how this ancient Bible story demonstrates an obstacle for us Christian women from scaling our businesses and walking out our God-given calling. Oh, grab a drink of your choice, sit down for a few minutes, and let’s chat.

There’s a pattern I’ve observed in the Christian female entrepreneurship space that’s both heartbreaking and preventable. I see brilliant, capable women who have heard God’s call on their lives, who have stepped out in faith to build businesses that matter.

Yet many remain stuck at the same revenue level, trapped in the same limiting beliefs, and paralyzed by the same fears year after year.

They’re suffering from what I call “The Lot’s Wife Syndrome”—the inability to fully release their past in order to embrace their future.

So,how many Christian female entrepreneurs do you know are constantly looking back at:

• The “security” of their corporate job

• The approval they once received from playing small

• The comfort of not having to trust God for provision

• The familiar struggle of underearning because it feels “humble”

• The old identity that didn’t require them to own their worth

 Sound familiar?

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Many Christian women entrepreneurs are running from their own version of Sodom—toxic corporate environments that demanded they compromise their values, suppress their gifts, or sacrifice their families for someone else’s vision.

God called them out of that destruction. He gave them a vision, a passion, and a business idea. He opened doors and provided resources. But like Lot’s wife, they keep looking back at the “benefits” of their former life:

• The steady paycheck (even if it came with soul-crushing stress)

• The clear job description (even if it limited their potential)

• The external validation (even if it was conditional)

• The illusion of security (even if it was false)

This backward focus is keeping them, YOU, trapped between two worlds and straddling the fence. There is an exhausting struggle with the old life, yet not fully embracing the new one.

God's Pattern for His Daughters

Here's what many Christian female entrepreneurs don't understand: God doesn't call us to look back because He's always calling us forward. Throughout Scripture, God's pattern with women is clear. I love these examples. (please feel free to share others in the comments.)

He called Ruth to leave her homeland and follow Naomi toward an uncertain future that led to her becoming part of Christ's lineage.

He called Esther to step forward into her royal position "for such a time as this," leaving behind her quiet life to save her people.

He called Mary to say "yes" to His unexpected plan, stepping into a future she couldn't fully understand.

He called the woman at the well to leave her shame-filled past and become an evangelist to her city. He called Rahab to abandon her former life and join His people.

When we keep looking back, we're not just being nostalgic—we're actively resisting God's direction for our lives.

The Entrepreneurial Promised Land

Maybe I am being too dramatic; no apologies. Sis, God has called us to something extraordinary. Not just to build amazing businesses, but to reshape industries with kingdom values, create wealth that funds His purposes, and model integration of faith and business. There’s more, but none of this happens when we're looking back.

We can't build the future God has for us while our hearts are still attached to our past.

Looking back feels safer because it doesn't require us to grow beyond our current capacity or challenge our existing identity. It doesn't demand that we step into our full authority and speak truth to power in the space we occupy.

But here's the truth: God didn't call you to safety. He called you to faith.

Focusing on and being stuck in the past will cost your business. The Lot's Wife Syndrome shows up in Christian female entrepreneurship in at least five devastating ways:

Pricing: You look back at what you “used to make” instead of pricing for the value you now create.

Scaling: You cling to old business models that kept you small instead of embracing systems that could multiply your impact.

Leadership: You default to the collaborative style that served you as an employee instead of stepping into the decisive leadership your business needs.

Risk-taking: You make decisions based on past failures instead of future possibilities.

Investment: You operate from a scarcity mindset rooted in past financial struggles instead of the abundance mindset required for growth.

There might be others you can think of; please share.

When Lot’s wife looked back, she became a pillar of salt—useful for nothing except as a warning to others. Many Christian female entrepreneurs are unknowingly creating their own monuments to missed opportunities.

They become pillars of unfulfilled potential instead of impact. Maybe you act in a small-minded spirit instead of embracing an unlimited mindset. I think worst of all is that they get comfortable with mediocrity instead of being a living example of giving excellent stewardship.

At this point you might be asking, how do you break free from looking back so you can crush the Lot’s Wife Syndrome? How do we stop being monuments to our past and start being pioneers of our future?

 Here is an exercise that is simple but powerful that will begin your breakthrough. Let’s call it the ‘Backward Glance Audit’. It will only take about 2-3 minutes

 Right now, go grab a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. You know the “T” diagram. On the left side, write “What I’m Looking Back At.” Write "What It's Actually Costing Me" on the right side. On the left and right sides, you are going to list what makes sense for your situation

Left-side examples:

• My steady corporate paycheck

• The respect I had as a department head

• Not having to worry about finding clients

• The clear 9-5 boundaries

Right-side examples:

• I’m underpricing because I’m anchored to my old salary

• I’m playing small because I miss external validation

• I’m not marketing confidently because I fear rejection

• I’m not investing in my business because I crave “guaranteed” income

  Spend just 2 minutes on this and be honest.

What I hope you’ll discover is that every “security” you’re looking back at is actually an insecurity that’s keeping you stuck.

This is just the beginning. I have an entire "Lot's Wife Liberation Blueprint" with 7 specific exercises that will help you identify exactly where and why you're stuck and the step-by-step process to break free.

If this would be helpful for you, let me know, and I'll share it in an upcoming issue.

Your Sacred Action Step

Here's what I want you to do RIGHT NOW:

👉 Identify one thing from your past you're still looking back at. Now, make one forward-focused decision today that breaks that attachment. Yes, today. Yes, I'm serious.

If your stomach just got butterflies—good. That's the Lot's Wife Syndrome being challenged. Push through it. You are not alone

This could be finally stepping into the leadership role your business needs. Today.

This isn't just a business decision—it's a faith-growth one. It's declaring that

• You trust God's future more than your past

• You believe His plans are better than your comfort zone

• You're ready to be a pioneer, not a monument

The Uncomfortable Question

Now, I want to hear from you. Drop a comment below with your answer.

What past reality are you still looking back at that's preventing you from fully stepping into your entrepreneurial calling? And what one forward-focused action are you taking TODAY to break free?

Be specific. Be brave. Your answer might be exactly what another sister in this community needs to hear to break free too.

👀 Coming Next Issue:

I'm not telling... but it's going to challenge another sacred cow in Christian business.

 P.S. Take This Further

Did this stir something inside you? Was it the holy nudge you didn't know you needed?

Hit reply and tell me: What would change in your business if you released that backward attachment completely? Remember, I read every message and I'm cheering you on—especially if you're choosing to never look back. 🙌

You’re not meant to struggle to prove your faith—you’re meant to thrive because of it.

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