As my next-door neighbor and I discussed upcoming home renovations and improvements to our homes, the conversation eventually turned toward another neighbor of ours. For almost a year, our neighbor started a home renovation project but left it unfinished. My neighbor, a take-charge “A” personality type of man, was unsettled by this. He mentioned how he likes to see projects to completion and was willing to help our neighbor finish his task. 

The more we talked about this, the more I realized that I, too, am guilty of many unfinished projects. Looking back at my house, I noticed the broken sprinkler, the porch needing pressure cleaning, the untrimmed trees, the unpainted wall, and many other similar projects. After we wrapped up our talk, I started thinking about what stops us from finishing tasks.

According to Joseph Ferrari, author of the book Still Procrastinating: The No Regrets Guide to Getting It Done, nearly a quarter of adults worldwide are chronic procrastinators. Ferrari says, “Not everything is meant to be finished, but many of us have a boatload of projects that have been relegated to a kind of purgatory of incompletion. For chronic procrastination, this is not an issue of time management. You can’t manage time. You manage yourself.” 

Ferrari says that we procrastinate for many reasons and need to discover those reasons. He states that sometimes the reasons are fear-based, lack of discipline, or not good enough. In essence, as humans, we struggle with things like this because of our depletable capacity. However, scripture encourages us because it tells us that our heavenly Father never tires and will always see things through to completion, especially when it comes to us. 

How reassuring to know that we are a work in progress, always improving when we allow God to do what he does best, working to conform us into the likeness of His Son. He never tires, never gives up, and always finishes what he started.

Daily Directive:

Answer and Journal the Following

Read:

Read and meditate on Philippians 1:6.

Pray:

Pray and ask God to show you the area(s) in your life that are neglected or need improving.

Meditate / Make It Real:

Determine how you will work with God on those areas. What’s your plan of action?

Share / Show:

Share and show what you’ve learned with someone else.