Procrastination

Personal Study

Verses on Diligence

Romans 12:8 NIV

if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:8 NLT

…If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously…

Romans 12:11 NLT

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Colossians 3:23 NIV

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Ephesians 6:6–7 NLT

Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

2 Chronicles 31:20–21 NIV

This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 NASB95

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

John 9:4 NASB95

“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.

1 Corinthians 9:24 NASB95

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NASB95

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

People in Scripture that Obeyed Instantly

Example #1 — Abraham

God spoke to Abram in Genesis 12.1-3 and in verses 4-5 we see that he obeyed, leaving Haran with his possessions and people.

The prime example of Abraham’s quick obedience is found in Genesis 22:

Genesis 22:1–3 NASB95

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

God commanded Abraham to do sacrifice what he loved the most; his one and only son. He did not delay, pray about it, seek counsel for months on end, but rose early in the morning and began to prepare for the journey.

Example #2 — Moses

In Exodus 3 Moses had his famous encounter with God at the burning bush where he received his divine call to go back to Egypt and deliver God’s people from Pharaoh’s rule. In response, Moses came up with excuse after excuse, eventually provoking the anger of the Lord.

Moses then departed to return home to his father-in-law:

Exodus 4:18 NASB95

Then Moses departed and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

After receiving the blessing to leave back to Egypt, it seems as though Moses was still delaying, because of verse 19:

Exodus 4:19 NASB95

Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”

God had to speak to Moses once again to leave Midian and return back to Egypt.

His personal insecurities and fears caused him to procrastinate what he clearly knew was God.

Example #3 — Gideon

Gideon was told to destroy his father’s Baal altar and Asherah pole.

Judges 6:25–26 NASB95

Now on the same night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.”

Gideon did not take two weeks to pray about it or think it through. He waited until nightfall and obeyed the Lord:

Judges 6:27 NASB95

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.

Example #4 — Jeremiah

When the word of the Lord would come to the great prophets of old such as Jeremiah, they would instantly obey.

The Linen Waistband

Jeremiah 13:1–7 NASB95

Thus the Lord said to me, “Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.” So I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the Lord and put it around my waist. Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “Take the waistband that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a crevice of the rock.” So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord had commanded me. After many days the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates and take from there the waistband which I commanded you to hide there.” Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, the waistband was ruined, it was totally worthless.

The Potter’s House

Jeremiah 18:1–3 NASB95

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel.

The Potter’s Jar

Jeremiah 19:1–2 NASB95

Thus says the Lord, “Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jar, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests. “Then go out to the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is by the entrance of the potsherd gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you,

Jeremiah 19:14 NASB95

Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the Lord’s house and said to all the people:

Speaking to King Zedekiah

Jeremiah 34:1–2 NASB95

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, with all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him: “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

Jeremiah 34:6 NASB95

Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem

Other Examples

The Uncles Field — Jeremiah 32:6-12

The Yoke — Jeremiah 27.2