We returned from church that day. From the car, my younger daughter was saying aloud; “Oh, I have so much work to do today. I have many assignments from school.” She kept talking about it to the point that her mum and I had to gently tell her; “Stop saying you have much work to do without doing it. Get down to work now before it’s late.” We were teaching her how to deal with procrastination.
Friend, you need to learn how to deal with procrastination if you would fulfil your God-given destiny (Ephesians 5:16). Procrastination is not only a thief of time. It is also a thief of destiny. Our life on earth is packaged in capsules of time (Psalms 90:12). To waste time is to waste destiny. Anyone or anything who wastes your time is an enemy of your destiny.
Procrastination is pushing to tomorrow what you should do today (John 4:34-35). Like my daughter in the opening story, it is saying you have so much to do without getting down to do it. The truth is, tasks become more difficult when we put them off till later time or day. The principle of success and fulfilment is to do it now (Proverbs 24:30-34).
Let me ask you today: How much stuff have you put off till a later time? How many things have you been contemplating doing that you have done nothing about (Matthew 21:28-31)? I know you have good plans and intentions. But life does not reward people based on intention but based on action. It is better to have a few things you actually do than many things that you are planning to do (Philippians 3:13).
Sometimes, in counselling, I tell people gently, but frankly; “If you don’t do what you are supposed to do now, 5-10 years down the line, you will still come back to it.” If you don’t enrol for that course now, time will pass, and you will have nothing to show for it. Let the passage of time make you better and not worse (Judges 11:1-11).
When are you going to obey God? I know you have told God to give you some time, but are you not taking the patience of God for granted (2 Peter 3:9)? Don’t attempt to do at age 82 what you should do at 28. The cost of fulfilling destiny becomes increasingly expensive with each passing time or season. Those who step into their divine purpose on time buy the future today. You either pay now and play later or play now and pay later. The choice is yours.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria