Procrastination: A Sin?

I have been procrastinating the past two months. I know I have been procrastinating, but I did it anyway. Now I have all kinds of excuses. I have been busy. My schedule has changed, and it has been almost impossible to find time to write. And admittedly my Bible study time has been significantly diminished on many days. My mind has been on other things, and writing was uninspired. But I think my best excuse is that I am thinking about wisdom.

I have been trying to figure out what it means to be wise. But I feel so unwise writing about wisdom. Actually, I have been greatly convicted of how lacking in wisdom I am. But in reality, I have been convicted about how many poor choices I have made in the past, and, in truth, am making today. I can rationalize my behaviors and attitudes until they are wise in my eyes. Aren’t we all very good at that? However, God has been showing me many Scripture passages which address biblical wisdom. They are spread throughout the whole Bible. The more God revealed wisdom verses to me, the more I realized I am almost ignorant on this subject. Then as if rubbing salt into a wound, God had pastors in Sunday sermons, on podcasts, and on the radio making comments about wisdom and wise choices.

So what is biblical wisdom? It is living every aspect of life under the direct influence of God. That sounds simple, but it is not.

So it means I must intentionally seek God’s will continually throughout the day. Sounds simple, but it is not. It is so much easier to procrastinate when it is something I do not really want to do or feel ill-equipped to do.

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.’" James 4:13-15 NIV

Is procrastination a sin? Yes, but isn’t it okay to procrastinate on some things because I cannot be expected to do everything right now? No, I am not to try to do everything now. That is a human and societal expectation. But procrastinating on a direction given to me by God is sin.

So it is probably unwise to beat myself up. That will only lead to making matters worse. I know the wise choice is to start addressing issues as God directs me. That takes time in prayer and in studying the Bible. Procrastination is an issue for which I am feeling much conviction.

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” James 4:17 NIV

Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit working in me, give me the strength and wisdom to overcome my sin of procrastinating when you have directed me to do a task for your glory.