We’ve all been there. That dreaded moment when you know you should be doing something, but instead you’re sitting on the couch smiling and watching TV. You tell yourself, “I’ll just do it later.”
But later never comes. Why is it so easy to put things off? And more importantly, how can we overcome procrastination and get stuff done?
These are some of the burning questions that may arise when you mention procrastination. We can call it a thief since it steals our time, our peace, and our joy.
Some of the causes or excuses that we give include:
“I don’t have enough time.”
We’ve all heard this one before. And it’s probably the most common justification for procrastinating. We convince ourselves that we don’t have enough time to do something, so we’ll just do it later.
But the truth is, we always have time. It’s just a matter of priorities. If something is really important to you, you’ll make time for it. This is the most dangerous procrastination excuse of all. Because when we tell ourselves we’ll do something later, we usually never do it.
Later becomes tomorrow, which becomes next week, which becomes next month. And before you know it, years have gone by and you’ve never taken action on your dreams. So if you find yourself using this excuse, be very careful. It’s likely the one thing that’s holding you back from achieving your goals.
“I’m not in the mood.”
This is another classic procrastination tactic. We tell ourselves that we’re not in the mood to do something, so we’ll wait until we are. But the thing is, the mood never comes. And even if it does, it usually doesn’t last very long. So if you’re waiting for the perfect mood to strike, you’ll be waiting forever.
“I don’t know where to start.”
Have you ever been in a situation where you’re staring at a blank page or an empty canvas and you have no idea where to start? It’s a scary feeling. But it’s also one of the most common excuses for procrastinating.
The truth is, it doesn’t matter where you start. Just start somewhere. And once you get going, the rest will come much easier.
“It’s not worth it.”
We convince ourselves that something isn’t worth our time or effort, so we’ll just do it later. But the truth is, if something is important to you, it is worth your time and effort. And even if it’s not important to you, doing it now will usually save you time in the long run.
There are too many counts of procrastination, but it is one of the biggest obstacles to success. It can keep you from achieving your goals and reaching your full potential.
As a Christian, it is harmful to procrastinate, especially when it comes to prayers, fasting, or any type of serving God. When you cease to pray and fast, you generally become spiritually weak. And then you are prone to falling prey to temptations and going back.
The Bible is full of examples of people who procrastinated, and it didn’t turn out well for them. In the book of Exodus, God told Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but Moses kept putting it off.
Eventually, God got fed up and sent a plague of locusts to eat all the crops (Exodus 10:13). In the book of Jonah, God told Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh, but Jonah ran away and tried to hide.
Eventually, he was swallowed by a whale and spent three days in its belly before he finally did what God had asked him to do (Jonah 1:17). These stories show us that when we procrastinate, we’re not only disobedient to God, but we also end up in a lot of trouble.
How does the scripture verse about procrastination apply?
In Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV, we are told that “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.”
This is a clear directive from God to not put off until tomorrow what we can do today. When opportunities present themselves, seize them with all your strength and determination.
In James 4:17 NIV, we are warned that “Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.“
This verse tells us that procrastination is a form of sin because it is disobedience to what we know God wants us to do.
Do not procrastinate, for the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ” (Revelation 16:15) NIV
This verse is a warning from God about the consequences of procrastination. The Day of the Lord is a time of judgment and wrath, and if we are not prepared, it will be like a thief in the night who comes to steal everything we have. We need to be diligent and not put off what we need to do. Procrastination is a form of laziness, and it will only lead to more problems down the road. If we want to avoid the wrath of God, we need to overcome our procrastination and do what we need to do now.
“Even now, declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” (Joel
This verse from Joel is a call to repentance. We need to turn away from our sin of procrastination and return to God with all our hearts. This means that we need to be sincere in our repentance and be willing to change our ways.
We also need to fast and weep over our sin. This is not a time for us to justify our laziness or make excuses. We need to humble ourselves before God and acknowledge that we have been wrong. “Now is the time for repentance.” (Acts 17:30)
“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” (Romans 12:11).
This verse from Romans tells us that we need to be passionate about our service to God. We cannot be lazy or half-hearted in our efforts. We need to put our all into it and do it with zeal.
Proverbs 6:6-8 says, “Go to the ant, you lazy person! Observe its ways and become wise. Without having any chief officer or ruler, it prepares its food in the summer and gathers its food supplies in the winter. How long will you lounge in bed? When will you rise from your sleep? “
This passage compares the ant’s hard work and diligent planning to that of a lazy person who just wants to stay in bed all day. The ant is able to accomplish so much because it has a good work ethic and takes the time to plan ahead.
“He who tills his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense.” (Proverbs 28:19)
This verse from Proverbs tells us that those who work hard will be rewarded with plenty. But if we choose to follow worthless pursuits, we will only end up lacking what is truly important. We need to focus on what is worth our time and effort. It tells us that those who are lazy will only end up in poverty. But if we are diligent in our work, we will be rewarded with wealth. We need to put in the effort if we want to see results.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, we are told that there is a time for everything, and that we should not put off doing what we know we should be doing. This is especially true when it comes to our relationship with God.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what the day may bring.” (Proverbs 27:1).
This verse reminds us that we should not be sure about tomorrow. We don’t know what will happen in the future, so we should not procrastinate and put off things that we can do today.
“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets! ” (Proverbs 22:13)
This verse speaks to the excuses that lazy people make. They are always looking for an excuse to not do something. They are afraid of doing anything that might be difficult or require effort. We should not be like the sluggard, but instead, we should face our fears and overcome them.
A few lines to consider
If you are struggling with procrastination, there are a few things you can do to try and overcome it. First, try to break down the task into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can make it seem less daunting and make it more likely that you will actually start working on it. Additionally, try to set a specific deadline for yourself, and make sure that you stick to it.
Finally, try to hold yourself accountable by telling someone else about your goal or posting it somewhere where you will see it regularly. With God’s help, we can overcome procrastination and live a productive life.
Are you suffering from delaying events? Say this prayer.
Dear God,
I confess that I have a problem with procrastination. I often find myself putting off things that I know I should be doing, and it’s causing me problems in my life. I know that Your Word tells us to not be slothful, but diligent in all our undertakings, and I want to live according to Your Word.
God, please help me to overcome my laziness and apathy, and give me the motivation and desire to do the things that You have called me to do. I know that You are faithful and will provide all that I need to accomplish Your will for my life. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Amen.