How Spiritual Procrastination Stunts Christian Growth
This spring, I procrastinated weeding. I dreaded the work, so the work grew more. And because of that, weeding my flower bed was far more laborious than it should have been. Had I gone out early and often, regularly maintaining it day by day, it never would have gotten to such an overwhelming state.
Instead, I grew more defeated with each passing day, staring at the once well-manicured beds as rogue weeds expanded their reach, curling across red mulch. The task seemed burdensome, so I left it alone, allowing the problem to grow worse. The consequences of sluggish behavior are evident.
But one day, when I finally had enough of my procrastination, I put on my gloves and got to work. Unsurprisingly, it took quite a while to conquer this beast, taming it back to a beautiful space. As I tugged and pulled, sweat dripped down my face, reminding me how much hotter it was than it would have been if I had done this work earlier in the season.
Some weeds were easy to pull, and others more stubborn. Still, others looked impossible to remove fully, but when extracted properly, lifting at the root, I was amazed at how quickly an entire mass of weeds could be dealt with. The ground cover for this particular kind was expansive, but if you could find the root, it wasn’t so hard to remove after all.
No one thinks much of the quiet everyday faithfulness of a gardener in his beds every morning. They may think his dedication is overkill or perhaps even shallow. But his consistent work makes an impact. It’s discipline, duty, and produces beauty.
Spiritual procrastination creates a breeding ground for weeds of sin. When we don’t tend to our hearts, daily repenting of sin and turning toward God, the problems grow worse and overwhelm us. The signs and symptoms are great, but when God brings before us the heart of the problem, inviting us to repent and trust in Him, He makes a lovelier garden yet.
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:8 ESV
My, how grievous it is that we think so lightly of sin. We allow it to fester and grow, unchecked day by day, having no sense of urgency to confront the wickedness of hearts – confessing our pride, lust, greed, selfishness, envy, and more. It covers us up.
Yet, there is hope for our desperate state! We serve a masterful Gardener who is able to uproot the wickedness of sin that keeps us from bearing fruit as we ought.
“The LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6)…”
