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?

I would love to hear from you … simply comment below or e-mail me at carolmcleod@carolmcleodministries.com with the list of people in your life who don’t know Jesus … yet.

Yet.

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.

Send us the list of people for whom your heart aches … and we will pray for each one of them by name.

We will also be praying for you … that the Lord will give you the opportunity … the courage … and the wisdom … to share Jesus with your world.

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

“And inasmuch 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?

Thanks for listening to my heart this week.  As you know by now, my heart is truly not a perfect heart, but it is a heart that is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the life I have been given and for the people who walk with me.  And, it continues to be a heart that is relentlessly chasing after God and all that He is!