Procrastination is often referred to as the devil’s tool, for by tempting us to put off for another day, that which should be done immediately, he gets us to miss out on golden opportunities. The tendency to postpone present duties will also be observed in other areas of our lives, because whatever we may cultivate as a trait of character, whether it’s good or bad, will also run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our life experiences, and could, if not corrected, cause us to put off our day of salvation. Some folks think that God will always wait until they are ready, but the Bible teaches something entirely different. Let’s read:
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…
The core principle being highlighted in the passage above, is that of availing ourselves of the present opportunities, given by us God, so that we may be saved. And it also warns us against procrastinating, which as stated before, will affect everything we do, if the habit is cultivated. In fact, whatever needs to be done, whether it be spiritual, or temporal, and is being repeatedly postponed for another day, will become more and more difficult to accomplish, and costlier with every missed opportunity.
There are many undeniable examples all around us which will demonstrate how procrastination causes unnecessary heartache, and adverse difficulties, which in turn produce feelings of deep remorse and regret. Let’s observe the tendency from a few well- known examples:
[1] The National Debt:
Every administration, over the last 50 years, which has taken control have tried to reduce spending but for different reasons, the national debt has always, consistently ballooned, when measured at the end of their tenure. We just keep kicking the can down the road, with the hope that one day, it will vanish, and the same tendency can be observed in millions of households across the land, since most people do not rise higher than their leaders.
But as stated before, procrastination becomes more costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome. That’s just the nature of the beast!
Lyndon B. Johnson: Added $42 billion, a 13 percent increase from the $312 billion debt at the end of JFK's last budget, FY 1964.
Richard Nixon: Added $121 billion, a 34 percent increase from the $354 billion debt at the end of LBJ's last budget, FY 1969.
Gerald Ford: Added $224 billion, a 47 percent increase from the $475 billion debt at the end of Nixon's last budget, FY 1974.
Jimmy Carter: Added $299 billion, a 43 percent increase from the $699 billion debt at the end of Ford's last budget, FY 1977.
Ronald Reagan: Added $1.86 trillion, a 186 percent increase from the $998 billion debt at the end of Carter's last budget, FY 1981.
George H.W. Bush: Added $1.554 trillion, a 54 percent increase from the $2.8 trillion debt at the end of Reagan's last budget, FY 1989.
Bill Clinton: Added $1.396 trillion, a 32 percent increase from the $4.4 trillion debt at the end of George H.W. Bush's last budget, FY 1993.
George W. Bush: Added $5.849 trillion, a 101 percent increase from the $5.8 trillion debt at the end of Clinton's last budget, FY 2001.
Barack Obama: Added $7.917 trillion, a 68 percent increase from the $11.657 trillion debt at the end of George W. Bush’s last budget, FY 2009. And right now, the staggering figures are north of 19 trillion, 800 billion, and is increasing at a rate of $27,762.94 per second, or about 1.5 billion each day, based on the past 6 months.
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
[2] The nuclear crisis with North Korea:
The current dilemma we find ourselves in did not happen in a vacuum, for there were periods, when positive, remedial actions could have been taken to rein in the rogue state, but for various reasons, the golden opportunities were passed by, with the hope that somehow, the problem will be resolved with time. But alas, here we are today, with a very real threat of a nuclear showdown, all because of that tendency to procrastinate.
(CNN) Here’s a brief look at North Korea's nuclear capabilities and the history of its weapons program. In 1985 North Korea signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
1993: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demands that inspectors be given access to two nuclear waste storage sites. In response, North Korea threatens to quit the NPT but eventually opts to continue participating in the treaty.
1994: North Korea and the United States sign an agreement. Among other stipulations, North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its old, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in exchange for international aid to build two new light-water nuclear reactors.
2002: January 29 - US President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil" in his State of the Union address. "By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger," he says.
October - The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.
2003: January 10 - North Korea withdraws from the NPT. February - The United States confirms North Korea has reactivated a five-megawatt nuclear reactor at its Yongbyon facility, capable of producing plutonium for weapons.
April - Declares it has nuclear weapons.
2006: October - North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. The test prompts the UN Security Council to impose a broad array of sanctions.
2007: February 13 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.
September 30 - At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea signs an agreement stating it will begin disabling its nuclear weapons facilities.
December 31 - North Korea misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities by the end of the year.
2009: May 25 - North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.
2013: February 12 - Conducts third nuclear test. This is the first nuclear test carried out under Kim Jong Un. Three weeks later, the United Nations orders additional sanctions in protest.
2015: May 6 - In an exclusive interview with CNN, the deputy director of a North Korean think tank says the country has the missile capability to strike mainland United States and would do so if the United States "forced their hand."
2016: September 9 - North Korea claims to have detonated a nuclear warhead. According to South Korea's Meteorological Administration, the blast is estimated to have the explosive power of 10 kilotons.
2017: July 4 - North Korea claims it has conducted its first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, that can "reach anywhere in the world."
The current president of the United States claims to be unpredictable, when it comes to revealing what he will do in defense of this country, because, as he says, it’s not wise to let the enemy know what you are planning to do. Well guess what? The current leader of North Korea has been often proven to be quite unpredictable too. Thus, when we have two unpredictable world leaders with their fingers on the nuclear trigger, we might be possibly looking at the final episode of the Wild, Wild, West with John Wayne as cheer leader!
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
But the problem of procrastination also affects us on a personal level, for it is not only a national, or federal problem, it occurs over, and over again, in many different ways, which leads us to our third example.
[3] Clutter:
The garage did not get cluttered overnight, for it took a long time for it to be chuck full of unwanted items. For years we may have planning to clean and tidy it once and for all, but through procrastination, we kept kicking the can down the road, until we are now almost banished from our own garage. And as was stated before, the continual postponing often costs us, for we may have bought many items at the local Home depot, which were lodged somewhere in the garage, but we just couldn’t remember where they were to be found.
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
[4] Health and dieting: Do you know how long we have been planning to start exercising, and dieting, but for many varied, and valid reasons we just keep putting it off for another day. Maybe it was the kids, work, studies, church duties, or maybe we were just not motivated. Maybe we had planned to start on New Year’s day, but for some unknown reason, our enthusiasm just waned, and we postponed it for a more convenient season. The bottom line is that we never got to it, and whilst we continue to delay, the cost increases, and damage is being done.
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
[5] Church building programs: Do you know how often the church building programs, for several churches have been postponed, for various valid reasons? Year after year passes, the enthusiasm of the congregation goes high, and then low, and in the process, some members may move on. But for some reason, the project is put off for another day, all the while God may have been ready to move at the opportune time. The cost of materials increases as the years slip by, and the project may become more daunting, but again and again, it is put off for another day.
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
Thus, we move into the core of our study, in which we will observe two examples, one positive and one negative, by which we may learn lessons of critical importance, on how to avoid the snare of satan’s favorite tool, procrastination. We’ll begin with the negative one. Moses sends twelve spies to search the land of Canaan, to bring back a detailed report, and the products of the country, so that the people could be encouraged to trust in the promise of God, that they would inherit the land.
God is ready and waiting, because the opportune moment is now, but ten of the spies begin to speak evil of the place, after confirming that it is flowing with milk and honey. Joshua and Caleb try their best to still the people, and encourage them to go take Canaan immediately, but the ten spies continue to dwell on the obstacles, the giants, in the land, and they deliberately give voice to their own personal fears, thus causing the multitude to dwell on the negatives, instead of the positive commands and promises of God.
Satan has a field day, using his favorite tool of procrastination, by causing them to dwell upon darkness, and because of their unwarranted fears, the project is aborted, and put on hold for another day. However, even though Joshua and Caleb were ready to move forward right away, this particular project required community effort, because God had promised the land to all the Hebrews, not just Joshua and Caleb.
Now, if the ten spies did not agree on the feasibility of the undertaking, they should have at least kept quiet, and let it move forward, without throwing cold water on the people’s enthusiasm, since God had already confirmed the land to the Hebrews by a solemn promise. But they encouraged the people to postpone the venture, and the delay would carry a heavy price both in time and in lives lost. Let’s read:
Numbers 13:17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them,
18 See the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad.
20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean.
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the
and whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land saying, it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
There is something such as an opportune time with God, that’s why the Bible says that Jesus was born in the fullness of time, meaning at the opportune time, not one day late, and not one day early. It is often the case, when God is ready to do great things for us, our hesitation, delay, and indecision causes us to miss out on the golden opportunity, and it is true that opportunity often only knocks once.
By dwelling upon the difficulties before them, they lost sight of God’s omnipotent power, and this then caused them to put off for another day, that which could, and should have been done immediately. And as was stated before, the delay caused the same project to become much more difficult and risky, and costlier, in terms of human life. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 389] When men yield their hearts to unbelief they place themselves under the control of Satan, and none can tell to what lengths he will lead them. Revolt and open mutiny quickly followed; for Satan had full sway, and the people seemed bereft of reason. They cursed Moses and Aaron, forgetting that God was witnessing their terrible outburst of wrath. Then their feelings rose against God: “Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Thus, they accused not only Moses, but God Himself, of deception, in promising them a land which they were not able to possess.
Numbers 14:20 And the Lord said,
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers.
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land.
34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat
them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.
41 And Moses said,
42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
44 But they presumed to go up.
45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
Whatever traits of character we cultivate, they will run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our life experiences. Procrastination in paying off our debts, will also translate into procrastination in matters of health, as well as issues pertaining to our salvation.
For instance, when the Holy Spirit appeals to our conscience, showing that it’s time to give ourselves to Christ, there is no valid reason for any delay, but instead, we should find the nearest pastor, and the nearest body of water and be baptized. This prompt attitude stands in stark contrast to that manifested by the Hebrews, as is demonstrated in the example of the jailor, who got baptized “Today” when he heard the voice of God speaking to his soul. Here was his golden opportunity, and rather than let it slip, he rises to the occasion, and the rest is history. Let’s read:
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Whatever we know we should be doing, whether it be in the temporal or spiritual realm, it is not good to put it off for another day, for as the song says, “Tomorrow might be too late”. Thus, we end our study with the passage of scripture, containing the warning against procrastination in every area of our lives, and we will close with a gentle reminder of the adverse consequences that are incidental to the indulgence of this habit. Let’s read:
Hebrews 3: 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
15 Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
The antediluvian world also suffered from the habit of procrastination, for Noah had faithfully preached and given them warning of the coming destruction, but for some reason they kept putting it off. Let’s read:
[P&P pp.97>98] As time passed, with no apparent change in nature, men whose hearts had at times trembled with fear, began to be reassured. They asserted that if there were any truth in what Noah had said, the men of renown the wise, the prudent, the great men would understand the matter. The period of their probation was about to expire. The ark was finished in every part as the Lord had directed, and was stored with food for man and beast. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people.
With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most, gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark. A noise as of a rushing wind was heard and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, their numbers darkening the heavens and in perfect order they passed to the ark.
Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient. The world looked on in wonder, some in fear. Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom. But men had become so hardened by their persistent rejection of light that even this scene produced but a momentary impression.
And the rest is history, for they never went in!
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.
God bless!