I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest. – John 12:24, Amplified Bible (AMP)

From Wikipedia:

Maud Muller is a poem from 1856 written by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892). It is about a beautiful maid named Maud Muller. One day, while harvesting hay, she meets a judge from the local town. Each is smitten with the other. The judge thinks that he would like to be a local farmer married to Maud, while she thinks that she would like to be the wealthy judge’s wife. Neither voices these thoughts, however, and both the judge and the maiden move on. The judge marries a woman of wealth whose love for him is based on his riches. Maud Muller marries a young uneducated farmer. Throughout the rest of their lives, each remembers the day of their meeting and remorsefully reflects on what might have been.

This poem contains the well known quotation: “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!'”

I have a feeling that many, if not most, of the humans in Heaven have regret. Revelation 21:4 teaches us that God will be wiping away tears from our eyes when we are there, and no doubt the many sins we have committed will cause the tears to flow. But the tears of regret that flow over lost opportunities to serve Christ are greater in number than I think most of us comprehend. When we realize how much we could have done for God had we not been so selfish about our petty desires, we’ll think about “what might have been,” and we will mourn.

God desires to use all of His children to impact the world for Christ. Yet, people who have significant impact are rare, and they are rare because few people ever assume the role of the dying seed. As Christ articulated in John 12:24, a seed that clings to its own life is limited in its reach and impact. A seed that dies, however, reaches far beyond itself, reaping a rich harvest that impacts many. So many of us – actually, the vast majority of us – never die to self. But, it is only by dying to our interests that we are poised to sow God’s interests in the hearts of many. Yes, while clinging to our own desires we can impact people for Christ every now and then. But consistent, far-reaching impact doesn’t flow from half-hearted effort. It only flows from a heart dead to self and alive to Christ.

Dying to self is not a one time decision. It is a decision that must be made over and over again. Each time self-interest conflicts with God’s interest, you will have to decide whose interest wins your affections. Each time you tell God “no,” His impact on others through you will dwindle. Each time you tell yourself “no,” you will die to self, and you will assume the role of the John 12:24 seed – the seed that produces a rich harvest!