The Fine Art of Procrastination

If something needs doing in your house, are you the sort of person who gets it done straight away, or are you more likely to put it off until a later date?  According to a survey, the results of which were published in The Times a couple of weeks back, we have become a society addicted to postponing household tasks – not so much a nation as a procrasti-nation!

2000 adults were surveyed by Crucial.com, apparently, and three quarters confessed to having this problem.  The domestic tasks that were most often delayed included filing documents, ironing, vacuuming, cleaning the toilet and washing the car.  The ‘winner’ however was cleaning the oven, which 56% of people said they were likely to put off until the last minute.

The survey also described the effect that this procrastination of tasks had on people, and particularly on their marriages. Leaving tasks incomplete not only makes us feel bad, it provokes regular arguments with partners. Over a quarter of the UK find they argue with partners about unfinished tasks around the home at least once a week. Men and women respond very differently to the pressure, with men admitting that they just wish their partner would stop bringing up the subject (31%) or occasionally be just that bit more understanding (27%). Women on the other hand overwhelmingly want their men to be more helpful (42%) or take control of the situation (27%).

Whatever your house is like – please don’t ask Linda about ours – we would all agree that the stress produced by putting things off is unnecessary.  But putting things off in other areas of our lives however can be more dangerous.  For example, we are always told to be watching our body and to be alert for symptoms of various diseases that need to be caught quickly.  Delaying going to the doctor can have serious consequences.

But with some things it is even more important that we act quickly.  That is certainly true when it comes to how we respond to the message of the Bible.  We may have read the Bible a lot, have listened to many sermons and have a good understanding of the Christian message.  We may have owned up to the inescapable fact that we are sinful, and considered the claim of the Bible that in Jesus Christ and in Him alone, we can find forgiveness and peace with God.  But we may have put off making a decision to submit to Him and come in faith and repentance that we might have eternal life.  Perhaps we are like Felix whose story is told in Acts 24.  After hearing the Apostle Paul challenging him to believe in Jesus, Felix sent Paul away and said he would hear him again when it was convenient.

As far as we know there was never a convenient time for Felix, and so he died, unforgiven, and went to a lost eternity.  Don’t be like him!  Listen to the Bible when it says; “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2).  Don’t delay, come to Jesus today!