By Melissa Taylor
“Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’---when you now have it with you.” Proverbs 3:28 (NIV)
Many times, I don't want to do, or think, about what needs to be done today, so I put it off until tomorrow. Can you relate? I've noticed that often tomorrow gets pushed back daily and then when I finally do whatever it is I've been putting off, I end up stressed out, in a rush, in a bad mood, or convinced that I don’t need to do that task at all. Here are a few of my “I’ll think about that tomorrow” things:
"I'll start my diet...tomorrow."
"I'll start my quiet time...tomorrow."
"I'll clean my house...tomorrow."
"I'll read to my daughter...tomorrow."
"I'll call my friend...tomorrow."
"I'll go have lunch with my son...tomorrow."
"I'll take brownies to my neighbor...tomorrow."
"I'll spend some quality time with my husband...tomorrow"
"I'll __________________ tomorrow." (fill in the blank)
God gave us 24 hours in each day. How I use those precious hours is up to me. Although I may not be able to complete every task assigned to me in a single day, to continue to put off important things that need doing is not being a good steward of the time and tasks God has assigned me.
For a while in my life, I was so bad about putting my goals and tasks off until another day that I got behind in everything. My life needed changing. I wanted to change, but my choices didn’t reflect that. I was choosing to sleep instead of get up and have quiet time. I was choosing burgers and fries over a healthy soup and salad. I was choosing to play instead of do the laundry. I was watching TV instead of exercising. I was spending time with friends but not my husband. Day after day, I had good intentions to make necessary changes in my life. Day after day, I put them off until tomorrow. Eventually, I felt like a failure.
One day while I was feeling discouraged about putting off things until tomorrow, I was reminded of a lesson I learned a few years ago, after we planned a trip to Walt Disney World. At the time my daughter, Hayley Grace, was 3 years-old. We booked the trip months before we actually went, and I made the mistake of telling Haley Grace about it. Each day she’d ask, "Are we going to Disney World today?"
I would say, "No Hayley Grace, we aren't going for 3 more months." Then "2 more months ...1 more month ...3 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week". The night before we were leaving, I announced the news she’d been waiting for. "Hayley Grace, we are going to Disney World TOMORROW!" She was so excited!! The next morning she came running into my room before I was out of bed and the first words from her mouth were, "Mommy, Mommy, is today tomorrow?" I proudly replied, "Yes! Today is tomorrow!"
I’ve decided that I am going to make today my tomorrow by moving into action. Instead of wasting precious time, I want to look at what I've been putting off until tomorrow and put it in action today. The Lord has great plans for my life. I would hate to miss them because I was not embracing the changes He has placed on my heart.
Will you join me? What changes, goals, or intentions have you been putting off until tomorrow? Take a look at your current “to-do” list and make it a “to-day” list. Not only will you have a sense of accomplishment, but you’ll also make a difference today. Today is tomorrow!
Dear Lord, It never seems like there are enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do. Help me to discern the important from the unimportant and set my priorities in a way that is pleasing to you. I pray for daily discipline and motivation to get started today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
A Woman’s Secret to a Balanced Life by Sharon Jaynes and Lysa TerKeurst
The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman
Visit Melissa’s Blog
Application Steps:
Before bedtime tonight, make a list of changes or things that you’ve been putting off but want to get done. Place a number beside each one, ranking them in the order that you believe God would choose them. Pray and decide how you can implement the changes into your life. Call a friend and tell her about it so you’ll have someone to hold you accountable.
Reflections:
What is keeping me from doing what needs to be done today?
Power Verses:
Proverbs 3:28, “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow’-when you now have it with you.” (NIV)
Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (NIV)
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT)
“Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’---when you now have it with you.” Proverbs 3:28 (NIV)
Many times, I don't want to do, or think, about what needs to be done today, so I put it off until tomorrow. Can you relate? I've noticed that often tomorrow gets pushed back daily and then when I finally do whatever it is I've been putting off, I end up stressed out, in a rush, in a bad mood, or convinced that I don’t need to do that task at all. Here are a few of my “I’ll think about that tomorrow” things:
"I'll start my diet...tomorrow."
"I'll start my quiet time...tomorrow."
"I'll clean my house...tomorrow."
"I'll read to my daughter...tomorrow."
"I'll call my friend...tomorrow."
"I'll go have lunch with my son...tomorrow."
"I'll take brownies to my neighbor...tomorrow."
"I'll spend some quality time with my husband...tomorrow"
"I'll __________________ tomorrow." (fill in the blank)
God gave us 24 hours in each day. How I use those precious hours is up to me. Although I may not be able to complete every task assigned to me in a single day, to continue to put off important things that need doing is not being a good steward of the time and tasks God has assigned me.
For a while in my life, I was so bad about putting my goals and tasks off until another day that I got behind in everything. My life needed changing. I wanted to change, but my choices didn’t reflect that. I was choosing to sleep instead of get up and have quiet time. I was choosing burgers and fries over a healthy soup and salad. I was choosing to play instead of do the laundry. I was watching TV instead of exercising. I was spending time with friends but not my husband. Day after day, I had good intentions to make necessary changes in my life. Day after day, I put them off until tomorrow. Eventually, I felt like a failure.
One day while I was feeling discouraged about putting off things until tomorrow, I was reminded of a lesson I learned a few years ago, after we planned a trip to Walt Disney World. At the time my daughter, Hayley Grace, was 3 years-old. We booked the trip months before we actually went, and I made the mistake of telling Haley Grace about it. Each day she’d ask, "Are we going to Disney World today?"
I would say, "No Hayley Grace, we aren't going for 3 more months." Then "2 more months ...1 more month ...3 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week". The night before we were leaving, I announced the news she’d been waiting for. "Hayley Grace, we are going to Disney World TOMORROW!" She was so excited!! The next morning she came running into my room before I was out of bed and the first words from her mouth were, "Mommy, Mommy, is today tomorrow?" I proudly replied, "Yes! Today is tomorrow!"
I’ve decided that I am going to make today my tomorrow by moving into action. Instead of wasting precious time, I want to look at what I've been putting off until tomorrow and put it in action today. The Lord has great plans for my life. I would hate to miss them because I was not embracing the changes He has placed on my heart.
Will you join me? What changes, goals, or intentions have you been putting off until tomorrow? Take a look at your current “to-do” list and make it a “to-day” list. Not only will you have a sense of accomplishment, but you’ll also make a difference today. Today is tomorrow!
Dear Lord, It never seems like there are enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do. Help me to discern the important from the unimportant and set my priorities in a way that is pleasing to you. I pray for daily discipline and motivation to get started today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
A Woman’s Secret to a Balanced Life by Sharon Jaynes and Lysa TerKeurst
The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman
Visit Melissa’s Blog
Application Steps:
Before bedtime tonight, make a list of changes or things that you’ve been putting off but want to get done. Place a number beside each one, ranking them in the order that you believe God would choose them. Pray and decide how you can implement the changes into your life. Call a friend and tell her about it so you’ll have someone to hold you accountable.
Reflections:
What is keeping me from doing what needs to be done today?
Power Verses:
Proverbs 3:28, “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow’-when you now have it with you.” (NIV)
Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (NIV)
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT)
10 Comments:
Currently in my today...
I'm sitting at my house waiting for the FedEx truck to arrive with my sons' tickets for the 1st round of the NCAA tournament this weekend. Not what I want to be doing, but where I am needed.
In these moments of quiet, I've spent time in devotion, watched Lisa Bevere on "Life Today", read some of my favorite blogs. Generally speaking...these have been sacred moments with my Father. Moments I often miss because of my "doing what I want to do."
Now that I am spiritually pumped for the day, I hear the dirty dishes calling.
Thank you for the reminder to keep focused and to make the most of each day that God has given me. And if the FedEx man will just hurry up, I can leave the dishes and head to lunch with some of my favorite friends!
peace for the journey~elaine
For me - the problem of procrastination is linked to over commitment and wanting to try to do more than I can in a day. I'm slowly learning to cut down on what I want to accomplish. When there's less to try to get done I have a better attitude about accomplishing it. The devotion today is a great nudge.
this is so very true. DO TODAY FOR WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS. Each time i think of someone I haven't talked to in a very long time, I'll call them to be sure everything is ok. If I haven't called and talked to my daughter and she's on my mind TODAY I'll call and say hello and remind her that I am here if she needs me because I love her. Each time my husband is upset and tired from work, I'll remind him that I'm here and tell him I love him so that he can rest his mind and body.
Thanks so much for this reminder that I am doing the right things. I've always been a strong believer of this and for those of you who chose to procrastinate. Don't for we are not promised tomorrow.
In his grace
Amen, that is exactly what I've needed to hear. God is SOOO good. He knows exactly what we need and how to communicate it to us. I'm humbled. Thank you.
Oh, my. This is JUST what I needed to read today. I wast sent over here by a friend. So glad I came by! I need to pray and make a list TODAY.
Thank you!
Like the rest of you, this is just what I needed to be reminded of this week.
I praise God for He knows very well what is going on in our lives to give us this reminder at the right timing. I have been pushing off to finish up with my taxes and other things which I keep pushing back. Sometimes I do feel wasted. Thank you for your words today to remind me to keep focus and to take care of my priorities first.
With God's strength, I can do everything. Amen.
In His name
Making list are not something I have a problem doing. My pressure is not which ones come first or second god then family of course. Mine is what comes next folding clothes or going to the gym, loading the dishwasher or etc. I work and my constant prayer is God please make time in the day for things that will not wait and those that must and may I not have the guilt over those few!!
I read this today I am very humbled by the fact that I am too busy for God. I pray That everything will be work as god planned it.
I wanted to show this to my husband to read but ...
I don't want it to seem as though I'm nagging (I am, of course, but I don't want it to seem that way and anyway I am probably as bad as he is about tomorrow). The main issue is that a) he doesn't believe that he's yet a Christian and b) when I've shown him anything in the past the comment has been "that's only for women".
Is there a prayer site for men? Is there anything available for those who are not confident about their faith?
Wow! That sounds like EXACTLY where I'm at right now. Thank you so much for posting this right when I needed it.
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