My One Regret

I had a very vivid dream the other night … and it gave me great cause for alarm … for humble evaluation … and for deep thoughtfulness.

Now … I know … I know … I know how it is.

I know how it is when people begin a drawn-out soliloquy with the words, “Let me tell you about the dream I had the other night …”

If you are anything at all like me … your eyes glaze over … your mind wanders … and frustration fills your soul.

Honestly … who cares?

Who cares what imaginary thoughts fill someone’s mind when they are drooling … snoring … and immune to reality?

But may I just meekly ask you to reconsider that response? I guarantee this particular dream has as much to do with your life as it does with mine.

I also promise to make it short … but not sweet.

In this piercing dream … I was with a multitude of friends from various stages in my life.

Ministry friends … high school buddies … current colleagues … family members … even childhood chums.

Everywhere I looked … I could see someone I knew from the years that had filled my life with joy … with challenges … with unforgettable experiences.

It seemed that we were all waiting in line for something … and as we waited … we were chatting … laughing … reminiscing.

Someone in this line of cheerfulness and friendship … asked me the question that I am unable to forget.

“Carol … what is your one regret in life?”

I answered instantly … honestly … and with heartfelt shame: “My one regret is that I didn’t lead more people to Jesus.”

A sudden silence commanded the former friendly conversations that had been taking place in this dawdling line … and everyone looked my way.

They were aghast … and in agreement.

“My one regret is that I didn’t lead more people to Jesus.”

You know … when we all get to heaven … we will be invited to join in perpetual worship.

We will rejoice and sing praises for thousands upon thousands of years.

But we won’t be able to lead anyone to Jesus.

You know … when we all get to heaven …we will be able to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His Words … His wisdom … and His power.

But we won’t be able to lead anyone to Jesus.

You know … when we all get to heaven … we will be able to talk to God … and look into His glorious face.

But we won’t be able to lead anyone to Jesus.

Does this not just make your heart stop with eternal pain?

We won’t be able to lead anyone to Jesus while we are enjoying heaven’s unmatched majesty and grandeur.

The window is small for evangelism … the time is short to impact someone’s eternity.

I must not leave earth’s confines with this fierce regret …I must make the most of my tenure in time and intentionally tell the story of Jesus.

I must tell it with my attitudes … with my actions … with my words … and with my life song.

I must spread the good news with hope … with joy … and with purpose.

I must share the old, old story that somehow never grows old.

I must open the conversation while at the Post Office … with my neighbors … with those I love and with those who frustrate me.

I must be ready to share my testimony at the gym … through e-mails … and on social media.

I must not live with regrets … nor die with regrets.

I must not.

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” – Mark 16:15

Laurie

Chris

Luke

Sharon

Linda

Maria

Diane

Steve

Daryl

Ann

Justin

I pray that my dream will change your life … I know that it has changed my perspective.

Who needs to know Jesus in your world?

Who will you tell today?

Who are you praying for?

These precious folks … in your world and in mine … are simply waiting for someone to tell them about the Man who loves them unconditionally … who forgives their sins… who died for them … and then rose again.

It is your assignment … your purpose … your destiny … to tell your world about Jesus.

One thing is for certain …none of us gets out of here alive.

“And in as much as it is appointed  for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him.” – Hebrews 9:28 & 29

We must … we simply must … tell our world about Jesus.

I refuse to die with even one regret … how about you?

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Carol McLeod Ministries

Featured Image by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

About the Author

Carol McLeod is a best-selling author and popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. Carol is a prolific author and loves digging for truth in the Word of God. Carol writes a weekly blog, “Joy For the Journey,” that has been named in the Top 50 Faith Blogs for Women. Carol also writes a weekly column for “Ministry Today.” Carol has been married to her college sweetheart, Craig, for 41 years and is the mother of five children in heaven and five children on earth. Graduates of Oral Roberts University, Craig and Carol have spent the past 38 years pastoring churches across America.

Bio & Posts

Visit Store