Stop what you are doing for a few minutes and consider everything you have ever done. To the best of your ability, think about every action, deed, word, thought, everything you have earned, and every motivation of your heart. What value could you associate with all of it? What will it be worth when you stand before the Lord?
According to the Word of God, only the things you did for God, with pure intentions, will have eternal value. If your deeds were for yourself, they were of earthly value, and when tested, they will be consumed by fire. Therefore, only the gems and precious metals of true intentions for God and others will stand the test of God’s fiery judgment.
Each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
Solomon, the wisest man ever to live, said, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 1:2
Isn’t this the truth? If you don’t live with eternity in mind, everything you do, if not for God, is useless. It is like a child that spends hour after hour, day after day, month after month playing a video game, building up levels, points, and fake money that amounts to absolutely nothing. It was a complete waste of time.
Think about a highly successful man; he will take none of it into eternity but pass it on to someone else. Ultimately, it was a pointless pursuit if he did not build up treasures in Heaven.
Everyone knows the feeling described by the phrase, “It seems like just yesterday.” Time is fleeting, and before you know it, life is over. How many of your days have you squandered? Take a minute to let this sink in. How little have you focused on serving the Lord to build up treasures in Heaven? These are all hard things to consider. But it is necessary to put everything into perspective. Consider your life in terms of what you can earn for eternity doing God’s will.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
If you have been wasting time, it is not too late because God is always ready to guide you on the right path; He wants you to obey His commands, love, have compassion, and care for others. Furthermore, God desires to send you to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These works and the fruits of the Spirit will survive the flames of judgment and bring great rewards in Heaven.
And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches, and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:29-34
Jesus said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38
Do not waste any more time, but work diligently for Jesus Christ. No one at the end of their life wants to stand before the Lord and find that they squandered the opportunity of eternal reward. Therefore, make your life worthy of eternal significance. Sacrifice your will to the Lord. Use what He has given you to build up as much as you can in Heaven by providing as much as possible to Him and others while you still have a chance. Trust me; you will not regret it when God says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
The Soul Sower 