You can keep that, Judas!

I thought about an emotion this morning that I don’t often think or write about – regret. Well let me clarify! I have regretted things before…missing an opportunity, not attending an event, losing contact with an old friend. But today the Lord talked to me about regret in relation to obedience. Obedience is so serious to God but sometimes you have thought about an instruction for so long that your voice sounds like God. All of a sudden, you are operating under a false obedience and end up in a mess. Today, I want to encourage you to not let the wrong voice leave you with regret.

“When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.””(Matthew‬ ‭27:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬)‬‬‬‬

Judas, Lord?! Really? The more I thought about it though, the more it made sense. You see, Judas had a real opportunity to grow in Christ and be a leader in the most powerful growing movement in the world. He got the teaching, the presence, and the experience but he missed his next level because he let Satan turn the volume up on his voice. Think about it! The Bible says that he was filled with remorse when he realized that his choices had real consequences. When he did, he tried to correct it but it was too late.

As the Lord really talked to me about Judas, I realized that his story is so important because he died with that regret. He died wishing he could have done something different. I believe what he had missed out on, by choosing the wrong path, spoke loudly in his mind and he couldn’t handle it. The Lord said something powerful to me this morning.  He said regret hurts worse than shift, discomfort or growth. Why? Because regret has no resolution. You can get another opportunity but it won’t ever be that same one. Judas realized that he obeyed the wrong voice and he couldn’t take it back.

Saints, make sure that you are obeying the right voice. Make sure your flesh is not attempting to sabotage your next level. Make sure your emotions are not guiding your decisions. I believe Judas is the wake up call for today. What he could have been is forever replaced by what he decided to do.   You have the opportunity to let obedience lead you to your next. Be sure you have Jesus obedience and not Judas regret.

Amen