(Editor’s Note: I actually wrote this about a month and a half ago, when God first spoke to me through this passage. When I came across the almost finished draft, I realized that I should finish it and get it posted. And I promise, the faucet has finally been installed).
I was in a Bible study this week that really blessed and challenged me. The study was led by a friend of mine and was through Haggai chapter 1. It got me thinking, “What are some reasons that we procrastinate and how can we overcome those pitfalls?”
To sum up the context of the chapter, the Jewish people began returning from captivity after being conquered by Babylon 70 years before. When the first group got back to Jerusalem, they were gung-ho to rebuild God’s temple and quickly got the foundation laid for it. However, circumstances came up and they began putting off the work the Lord was calling them to. Before they realized it, more than 15 years had passed and nothing had been built on the foundation. Then Haggai entered the scene with a word from the Lord for the leaders of the Jews. “This people says, ‘The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built’...Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins? Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways!’”
As is often the case with each one of us, the Jews began with excitement and passion but the steady and merciless pull of human nature soon led them to procrastination and empty good intentions. So let’s delve into some of the reasons that we fall into putting off that which the Lord is calling us to do.
#1.) Opposition and difficulty—Sometimes we have this idea that following God’s will for us will be smooth and easy. If people have told you that, they’re lying. Following God is hard—it’s completely worth it—but it’s hard. Jesus has been the only man to ever live that has followed the Father’s plan for His life perfectly, and it led him to the cross. If we seek to follow God’s plan for us, the path will include pain and great challenges. Ezra chapter 4 tells us that the neighbors of the Israelites began to oppose them in the work of building the temple. Rather than overcoming the opposition and moving forward in obedience to God’s call, they chose the path of least resistance and began putting off the work. We are all tempted to laziness, to choosing the easy and pain-free path. Yet, God is on the lookout for those that have the courage to obediently follow Him—even in the face of opposition.
#2.) Search for the perfect circumstances—If you’re like me, you often fall into the line of thinking that says, “I know this should be done today, but the circumstances aren’t ideal today. I’ll just wait until tomorrow because I’m sure my circumstances will make things a little easier then.” It’s that kind of thought process that explains why the new faucet that I bought a month ago for our leaky bathroom sink is still sitting in a bag next to the sink. Now, obviously there are times when wise planning calls for accomplishing a task at some point in the future. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the consistent deferment of a task because we imagine that one day we will wake up and we will magically have a completely open schedule, with all the motivation in the world and no opposition whatsoever. I’m talking about putting off something God is calling us to do because we have created this imaginary and impossible set of “necessary” circumstances that will allow us to step into God’s plan for us. There are people who have spent their whole lives waiting for those set of circumstances to come to pass. They never took a step of faith to do something for the Lord because it was never the “right time.” I don’t remember where I read it and I’m sure that I will butcher the quote, but I remember reading something like, “One of the enemy’s most successful attacks on Christians is to whisper in their ear, ‘Just do it tomorrow.’” Too many of us are putting off what God is calling us to do today, because we are somehow convinced that it will be easier to do tomorrow. It seems like that is what happened with the Jews that returned from exile. I’m sure they had intentions of rebuilding God’s house someday when the circumstances were right, but they were lulled to sleep waiting for someday to come.
#3.) Fear of what might happen—Fear can be a formidable enemy. It can paralyze us and keep us from the victorious life of faith God is calling us to. We know fear is not from God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 1 John tells us that “God is love” (4:8) and “perfect love casts out fear” (4:18). And yet, fear can so quickly put a halt to the steps of faith that we were once so passionate and excited about. May we fix our eyes on Jesus and the wonderful mix of power, love and wisdom that is contained in His character. When we do that, fear has a way of dissipating right before our eyes.
#4.) Focus on the physical/temporary instead of the spiritual/eternal—In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes, “…while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (4:18). Our perspective has a huge impact on our actions. Because of our sinful nature and the fact that our senses are bombarded by the physical world we live in, we often find ourselves more focused on living for the physical instead of the spiritual. However, we know from what Paul says in that verse (as well as many other biblical references), that living for this world makes no sense. We are spiritual, eternal beings and what we do in this life has an impact on eternity. Therefore, it makes much more sense to devote our efforts to those things that will have an eternal impact. The Israelites got caught up focusing on the physical needs right in front of them to the detriment of their spiritual needs that mattered much more. Are you and I following their example?
#5.) Excuses—Have you heard the saying, “Excuses are like belly-buttons. Everyone has one and they stink”? It’s true, making excuses started in the garden with the fall and our expertise in the area has only grown since. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone either—I can be one of the worst. It just comes so naturally. And yet, making excuses helps us accomplish nothing. It doesn’t help us grow spiritually and it doesn’t help us accomplish God’s plan for our lives. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you can measure a person’s spiritual maturity and usefulness by simply looking at how much time they spend making excuses. (Ouch! That one hurts me just as much as it hurts you—I promise)! I’m sure the Israelites had lots of good excuses for not building the Lord’s house all those years. Their excuses didn’t help them. They just kept them from accomplishing God’s will.
Well, if you’re like me, the example of the Israelites that we see in Haggai 1 is challenging. I see myself in them much more than I’d like to admit. But there is good news. As we see with God’s people towards the end of the chapter, we are just one step of obedience away from getting right back on track. It may be difficult and scary, but when we do so, God will bless our step of faith. And, as He promised in verse 13, He will be with us each step of the way. Bless our obedience Lord and be glorified!