by Dr. Charles Stanley
Thursday June 22, 2006
Common Areas of Procrastination
God has prepared work He wants us to do, and our delays in carrying out His plan constitute disobedience. That makes habitual procrastination a serious problem.
As Christians,we not only put off daily Bible reading and tithing, but we also delay...
Serving in the church. We promise to be available to work, but when the call comes, we say no. If asked, we might reply it is the length of service that doesn’t suit us. At other times we say the position itself is disagreeable to us. In both cases, if we examine our feelings, we will find we are dodging what we do not like or feel inadequate to do.
Sharing our faith. We can get very anxious about how to express ourselves, what reaction we’ll get, and whether we’ll be able to answer questions adequately. When insecurity threatens us, we often choose silence and inactivity.
Surrendering our will to the Lord’s. Just thinking about giving God control in certain areas makes many of us feel fearful. So we cling to our way and avoid His. True submission says, “Lord, I am willing to do whatever You want in this situation. I will obey Your Word.”
After a while, because of our procrastinating ways, our spiritual growth becomes inhibited. Then our usefulness to the Lord and our sense of joy in Him diminish.
The Lord has asked us to be His ambassadors, who represent Him to a hurting world according to His plan and timetable (2 Corinthians 5:20). Therefore, procrastination has no place in the believer’s life. Which areas of your life does this bring to mind?
Celebrate Fathers this month. Discover what our heavenly Father expects of dads and how He equips them to raise godly sons and daughters in Dr. Stanley’s series “How-To’s for Fathers.”
Breaking News: How to Handle Your Emotions is the latest elective now online at the Charles Stanley Institute of Christian Living! This expansive course focuses on Dr. Stanley's powerful 12-sermon series by the same name. In this course, students not only learn the basics of a healthy, biblical, and positive love for themselves, but they will also target some of the most potentially explosive emotions, including self-image, anxiety, loneliness, guilt, anger, depression, and rejection. Included in this for-pay elective course is a hand-signed copy of Dr. Stanley's book, Finding Peace, which brings further emphasis to the areas of regret, anxiety, and fear.