Mark 10:21-22, “Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
I’ve told many people that I have never regretted following Jesus. I mean it. Not only do I not regret giving my life to Christ, but I have also never regretted a single instance of obedience to Him.
However, I can think of many times when I chose not to be obedient to Christ and I have regretted it. I “went away sad.”
It is important to remember that God feels genuine love for us. He calls us to a life of trust in Him because He knows what is best for us and He genuinely loves us. The Psalmist says 34:8, “taste and see that the Lord is good”. Every time I trust in the Lord, I taste His goodness. On certain occasions it might be the more painful option or the path that delays gratification, but trust in the Lord always proves to be the best path in the end.
G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”[1]
The rich young ruler thought there was more to be gained from a life of his own making. He rejected the offer of true life in Christ, thinking only of what he would be losing in following Christ, not in what He would be gaining. He found it difficult to let go of all that He had and to place his life in Christ’s hands, so he left faith untried. Yet, he went away sad. He is a picture of holding on to our life instead of walking by faith in Christ. Perhaps he was the “not so rich young ruler” after all.
I never regret trusting in Jesus. Trusting God isn’t always easy, but don’t leave it untried.
[1] G.K. Chesterton, What’s Wrong With The World