Procrastination is when we put off something we know we should do, even when we know we will suffer as a result. It could be something as simple as not wanting to put out the garbage in the rain, then we miss the garbage truck and have to latter take it to the dump, but concerned about the cost of the dump we store it up at home and in time our house becomes a dump!
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Psychologists note a variety of reasons why people procrastinate (low self [God]-confidence, anxiety [fear]). Some have even created two general behavioural types of procrastinators: anxiety and boredom/rebellion (that is they procrastinate so they get a thrill at the last minute or rebel and don’t want to do it).[1]

We can procrastinate in coming to know and follow the Lord too, all to our harm.

Why do people spiritually procrastinate? Why do they put off going to church, trusting in the Gospel, being baptized, joining a church? Why do they put off responding to a leader, calling to encourage someone, having that difficult conversation? Why do they put off reading their Bible, praying or any number of spiritual disciplines? Why do they put off killing that known sin in their life? Why do they do these things when they know they are wrong and they know they will harm them? It comes down to faith vs. fear and pride vs. humility in some form.

God asked Cain a timeless question, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Gen 4:7) What is the spiritual reason for procrastination? The reasons may be complex but the Lord calls us to overcome them by rising to obedience in faith. How can we rule over procrastination or help others to do so?
How to fight procrastination?

• Grow in our knowledge of who God is
• Know what God has said (including the consequence)
• Turn and trust
• Trust the Lord the moment the inclination is fresh, don’t delay
• Resolve to do right before the test of circumstance.
• Learn more about what causes your procrastination
• Remember the gracious Lord not only calls but equips us by His Word and through His Spirit, yield to Him.
• Seize hold of the means of grace, including prayer. Rely on the Lord.
• Find those who will help keep you accountable

How to handle a procrastinator?
The same way the Lord deals with us, in grace and truth. We need to be gracious with procrastinators (remembering when we have and learning from this). We must be sympathetic and willing to listen for the reasons why someone might procrastinate so we can help address these. We need to seek to encourage folks to do right and offer any help we can in this regard. However, grace alone is not sufficient. We must also be truthful. We must seek to teach and spur and call and guide the procrastinator. All this is done in prayer. Truth graciously administered is the best medicine.

So let us rise to trust the Lord and walk before Him in obedience and so overcome procrastination.


[1] https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/news/article/7797/The-Psychology-Behind-Procrastination/#:~:text=Psychologists%20have%20found%20various%20reasons,is%20emotion%20and%20mood%20regulation.

Mark wants his readers to: a) repent and believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and in His Kingdom (Mk 1:1; 1:15; Mk 8:29) for their salvation from sin (Mk 10:45); and b) to follow Him as a disciple (Mk 8:34). These are keystone verses in Mark that pain the picture of faith and following. To Mark, these are flip sides of the same coin. Let me explain.

Faith is not a noun or a spiritual force we tap into, it is a verb—an action. Faith means trust; it is more than mere good opinion of Jesus. We must exercise true saving faith. This faith is an active vs. passive faith that does more than merely assent, it recognizes who Jesus is, our need and His authority, trusts in Him alone for salvation, placing our very lives in His hands. It goes on trusting in His commands. It demonstrates a real loving preference for Christ’s Kingdom and commands. ‘Faith’ without following is dead. (See Paul and James on justification).

Following is an unpopular idea today, though it is steeped in adventurous appeal. However, true faith in a person, necessitates that we follow. We step where He asks us to step. While just as it is possible that people who have ‘faith’ don’t follow, it is likewise possible to ‘follow’ without faith. However, the following Jesus has in view is not simply following Him as a good moral teacher. It is following Him as Lord. And here is the flip side of the coin. If we truly follow Jesus in a cruciform way (all the radical things that the Law of Christ commands), such following reveals that we have faith just as true faith is shown in the fruit of following. Following trusts the King and His good words displaying this in action.

Jesus wants us to have faith in Him; He also wants us to follow Him. When we truly believe we follow; when we truly follow we show we have faith.

Faith and following are both actions; they are flip sides of the same coin.
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May we persevere in faith and following the Lord Jesus.