Regret

The idea of regret is a powerful motivator.

Mike Bickle stirred me up again when he spoke this Sunday about the issue of regret in the hearts of believers when they stand before the Lord at His return. Paul makes this massive statement that I think many believers (still including myself) have not sufficiently wrestled with (my explanations in brackets added):

“Now if anyone builds on this foundation [Jesus and the gift of righteousness] with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day [when Jesus returns] will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire [among other things, the fire in His eyes]; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss [experience pain and regret]; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
(1 Cor 3:12-15 NKJV)

We've traditionally thought of things differently but Paul makes a statement that should trouble us. There will be real pain and loss for believers at the second coming of Christ.

Many will experience "loss" by failing to maintain their pursuit of 100% obedience (taking "time off" to live in compromise) and as a result losing the potential rewards that come with that. We've got to remember that the Lord's "exchange rate" is higher than we think! We give Him our weak devotion and He gives us eternal treasure. God gives us time or money or physical energy and rewards us for using it in a specific way. But when we take "time off" and don't repent of it, sign back up, and run hard again, the reward the Lord would give us is lost, and the Lord's investment in us is lost as well.

The other alarming word that Paul uses is "suffer". There will be real pain on that day. The Father does not wipe away all of our tears until the end of the 1000-year reign of Jesus (Rev. 21:4). Paul "suffered the loss of all things" that he would gain Christ (Phil. 3:8).

The gift of righteousness we've been given in Christ does not cancel out the knowledge of regret on that day. Our love relationship with the Lord will be in place, but part of love is the knowledge that we have or have not given ourselves fully to the Lord in every area. Regret is a part of true love. When we feel regret, we feel the pain of not giving the best of our love. That in and of itself is an expression of genuine love.

I can have a large ministry, a lot of money, and I can have a positive impact on many people for the Kingdom. But what matters most about my life is what will be in the mind of Jesus when He and I lock eyes for the first time at His return. His evaluation of my life is the only thing that matters. He's a very real human being with thoughts, feelings, and emotions. He has a very clear and vivid memory of forming me in my mother's womb, seeing every heart movement towards or away from Him when thousands of people or nobody was looking, and He will remember all of the extravagant acts of devotion throughout my life. He sees the end from the beginning.

What is the first thought that will come to His mind about you when He locks eyes with you for the first time?

I want to live a life that's worthy of Him. I want to throw myself fully into what He calls wisdom, and I don't want to waste my time on foolish things. I want to be given a full reward and I want His thoughts to be full of good things when I see Him for the first time.

Let His eyes be your motivation.