Ezekiel 2:5
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
There are two types of people in every church. There are those who hear and do, and there are those who hear and refuse to do. When God talked about Israel, He warned them that one day they would know they had a prophet among them, but their knowledge of this came too late because they rebelled against that prophet. God told Ezekiel to preach right even if they didn't listen because one day, when they lost everything and looked back, they would know that he was a prophet and that what he told them was true.
It is sad that many people have lost everything before they realized what they had. Many people have moved from a great church to a dead church only to realize what they had when they were in that great church. Many have left a great preacher to go to a preacher more agreeable to their desires, only to realize they lost a great man of God who told them exactly what they needed to hear. You can always justify your move away from God’s blessings, but you can never remove the regret that you should have stayed. Many have justified a move away from God’s blessings only to look back in regret wishing they had stayed as they look at what their foolish decision brought them to. There is a reason many have come to this great regret that could have been avoided. Let me share several things that take people to the great regret of knowing what they had too late.
First, they didn't let their pastor be their pastor while they had a great pastor. I have had some great pastors in my lifetime, and the one thing I am very thankful for is that I was not so arrogant to think I knew more than they. If I had not let my pastor be my pastor, I would have made some foolish decisions that would have led me to regret. The worst thing you can do is not to let your pastor be your pastor. God has given you a pastor to guide you, and you need to learn to listen to him and go to him for advice. These people had Ezekiel in their presence, but they never went to him for advice to their regret. You will one day know you had a man of God in your presence when you look back at where your foolish decisions have brought you because you refused to let your pastor be your pastor.
Second, they refused to listen to the truth. Truth can hit some people in the face, but they will never know it because they think they know it all. Truth presented cannot help anyone if they are not willing to listen to the truth. Sadly, truth cannot help a person who already has their mind made up. You will find regret in your future if you refuse to listen to the truth because you already made up your mind.
Third, they didn't realize what they had while they had it. There are scores of people who sat in great churches and took for granted what they had only to regret every moment of God’s blessings that they were not a part of because they sat on the sidelines. If you are in a place where God’s blessings are prominent, you would be wise to soak up every moment of those blessings and be a part of what brings those blessings because one day, you will look back in regret when those blessings are gone wishing you had not sat on the sidelines. Be a part of what God is doing. Don't be a sideline Christian. Get involved with what God is doing in your church, and you won't have to live with the great regret of wishing you had not sat on the sidelines.