Waiting and Procrastinating

I remember the childhood story about the ant and the grasshopper. The ant spent the summer stocking up for the winter while the grasshopper played the days away. When winter came, the ant had food and was sustained but the grasshopper didn’t have anything because he waited too long to gather food. Although a story, it is truth. Procrastination will get you nowhere.

Proverbs 6:6-11 tell us what happens when we procrastinate, it also tells us where to look for an example of good work ethic… the ant. Verse 6-8 says “Look to the ant, thou sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no guide, overseer or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Many times we see the little ants on the sidewalk moving about frantically. They are always on the move. Most insects seem to just sit in one place for long periods of time. But, not ants. Everyone is doing their job to maintain the colony. No one has to stand over them to tell them what to do. They just know.

I don’t think these scriptures ares just talking about working and earning money. I think it can be applied to whatever it is in our lives we tend to procrastinate on. I’m sure we have all done it at one point or another. I know I have. We have something that needs to be done and we say” Well, I’ll get to it tomorrow”. Tomorrow comes and we say the same thing over and over again. The task never gets done.

Sometimes, procrastination can be a form of fear. Although the goal is something we want to achieve, fear inside of us can hold us back from taking the first step towards getting it done. Fear shows a lack of faith. Instead of taking that first step and relying on God, we find excuses for why we can’t do it at the time.

Verse 9 says “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” How long will we wait? Days? Months? Years? When will we rise up with faith? Verse 10-11 tells us what happen when we procrastinate. The amplified bible says “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep– So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and your want like an armed man [making you helpless].” Years go by and all of a sudden we look up and realize that we have been wasting time. We notice that we have nothing to show for the time wasted either. This is what I believe the scripture is saying when it says poverty sneaks up like a robber.

While reading this yesterday, the Holy Spirit led me to Proverbs 31:10-31. Yes…the Virtuous Woman. One thing that I noticed the scriptures said was she didn’t eat the bread of idleness. She seems to be active at all times. It’s not aimless running around either. She is taking care of the home. She is up early in the morning getting things done. She is secure in the future because she has taken care of the present. She has goals and she is getting them accomplished.

I believe that God wants us to be good stewards with everything. Even our time. If you have found yourself to be a procrastinator, ask God to motivate you. So many times we wait for someone else to say “Get up, You can do it” but all we need to do is ask God for motivation. If it is something you want, go for it. No one is going to achieve your goals but you. Take that leap of faith. God will catch you. But, you have to trust Him.