When trying to meet a goal, one of the most detrimental words that we can say is “tomorrow.” If we are not careful, “tomorrow” can be a mantra we repeat daily. Suddenly, “tomorrow” turns into weeks, then months, and then years. Procrastination is indeed an enemy to meeting our goals. It is also an enemy when it comes to running the spiritual race that God has set before us. It keeps us from taking steps of faith that God has called us to, thinking we can share our faith, study His word, or serve at Church tomorrow, next week, or next month. Suddenly, we find ourselves no further along in our faith than when we started. If we want to run the race that God has called us to well, then we must let go of procrastination and choose to follow and obey Christ with everything in us today.
In the book of James, the author and namesake for this book of the Bible, James, encourages us to make the most of the time we have, which means refusing to procrastinate. In this passage of Scripture, he asks an interesting question. He asks readers, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?” (verse 14). The implied answer to this question is, "I do not know." He continued writing, "Your life is like the morning fog—it's here a little while, then it's gone" (verse 14). We have all experienced the truth in this passage of Scripture. We have all noticed how quickly the weekend passes before Monday comes. We have seen our babies turn into toddlers, our toddlers turn into children, our children turn into teenagers, and our teenagers turn into adults. It all happens in the blink of an eye. This knowledge is meant to provoke us to action. It is meant to call us to live in light of the truth that time is flying by. Several verses later, James encourages us not to put off doing good for tomorrow. He wrote, "Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it" (verse 17). This verse is incredibly convicting and challenging. When we put off doing the things that we know God has called us to do, we are sinning. That is how severe our procrastination is.
My friend, life is short. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. What we have is today, and we must make the most of it. Making the most of this day means obeying Christ today and taking the steps He is calling us to take today. Our time is precious; let's make the most of it and let go of procrastination.
What is one step you know God has been leading you to take, but you have held off for another day? Your challenge today is to let go of procrastination and take that step. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. We have today, and our calling as Christ followers is to be faithful with the day He has blessed us with and obey Him in everything.
1What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
