The Confessions of a Procrastinator

Procrastination : The act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time. I admit it. I am a procrastinator. I hate to confess the truth, but it is the truth nonetheless and lately I have been forced to face the fact. Consider the following scenario…


On a sunny Monday afternoon, I took a break from the confusing web of elements and calorimetry called Chemistry to step outside and get the mail. The air felt so refreshing and I took my time walking down the driveway, relishing in the freedom of the outdoors. Opening the mailbox, I pulled out a big stack of envelopes. Catalogs, bills, more catalogs, oh no! Three letters addressed me? In my mind’s eye, I saw these three envelopes being added to the large pile of unanswered letters on my desk. With a resigned sigh, I try to erase this disturbing image from my mind and head back inside where duty always awaits…

One day it is letters I need to reply to, another day it is my room that dearly needs to be cleaned or my journal that hasn’t been written in for three months. Time flies by so quickly; projects pile up even faster There always seems to be something that needs to be done and yet always gets put off. I usually have good intentions. Oftentimes I have lain in bed making a mental list of everything I want (and need) to get done the next day. Unfortunately, my resolution wanes by morning and I go to bed this day frustrated at myself.

It is so easy to get discouraged and feel like giving up when the mounds of projects-yet-to-be-accomplished threaten to suffocate us.

Lately, I have felt my imperfections acutely. Sometimes it seems that other people can get things done much faster and better than I can. The other day I was feeling particularly down. I had such a long list of things that needed to be done. Why couldn’t I simply get them done? It was then that I felt convicted. I felt like God was saying to me, “Stop struggling on your own. Yield your imperfections to me, I want to show Myself strong through them.” I had been so short-sighted, so focused on the present that I had forgotten that there is One Who is much stronger than I and Who is always there so I don’t have to go through life on my own. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

When it seems like the feelings of defeat and doubt are going to bog you down, remember that you are God’s workmanship. We cannot do it on our own. We have to give our entire selves to God, who desires to do great things in our lives “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

A song that has come to mean much to me says this:
“I know it won’t be easy,
I never said it would.
But my strength will always be there,
My plans for you are good.
Remember that your weaknesses
Are perfect in my sight.
Only when you yield them to Me,
Can I turn them into might.”

It is a wonderful thing to know that God is completing a work in our lives. And He won’t put it off.

~ From Becky