Greetings Everyone!

Procrastination is something most people have a propensity towards. A 2007 study by University of Calgary psychologist Piers Steel, PhD, reported that 80 to 95 percent of college students procrastinate. Another study shows that people are more likely to procrastinate with something that is unpleasant ("The Procrastination of Everyday Life" Journal of Research in Personality, June 1998). These basic facts, along with our natural inclination towards desiring instant gratification, means most of us share the tendency to avoid doing things we need to do, but don't enjoy, in favor of doing things we enjoy, but do not further our long-term goals.

This is not ground-breaking information but simply confirms experiences common to us as humans. As a child, I used to procrastinate when it came to eating chili. I never liked the taste of chili, especially the beans. As a result, I would spend a long-time procrastinating. This took the form of aimlessly stirring the chili in the bowl, in hopes that my mother would eventually let me skip that awful meal and I could move on to the delicious cinnamon roll we always had for dessert. Alas, my procrastination only served to extend my suffering and really make a miserable situation even worse. If I would have accepted the unpleasantness of the situation and practiced some delayed gratification, I could have made it through the chili and moved on to the coveted warm roll. In a minor situation such as dinner, procrastination does not usually affect our lives dramatically. However, the larger the issue we procrastinate with, the more potential there is of a sustained, negative impact.

A well-known verse regarding this is Proverbs 6:6-8. "Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest." We are admonished to look at the lesson of the ant that does not procrastinate, but instead prepares in advance.

Certainly, applying this wisdom can have many positive effects in our physical lives, but even more so in terms of our spiritual lives. Without deliberate effort our tendency to procrastinate can spill over into how we approach God. One of the best examples of this is in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). In short, we see that five of the virgins are prepared for the return of Christ, while the other five put-off their preparation. Those whom procrastinate, miss out on the all-important wedding supper. In a simple illustration, we can see the long-term consequences of procrastinating in the most important area of our lives.

A good indication of this is our approach to Passover. Have we been diligent to prepare ourselves as we march closer to partaking of this important ceremony? Have we had the hard conversations with ourselves, with God, and with other individuals to reconcile with God and man? Or have we put these changes off to pursue that which we find more enjoyable?

The challenge then, is to embrace delayed gratification. Be willing to forego physical benefits now in favor of pursuing our spiritual goals. In addition, we must address the short-comings in our relationship with God and others, no matter how unpleasant the process may be. Developing these approaches can help us avoid succumbing to procrastination and allow God to work effectively in our lives.

Happy Sabbath!

Devin Schulz