I Thessalonians 5:3
‘While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.’
The last time we addressed our tendency to procrastinate. Today we will look at the deluding influence of delaying. We spoke of puting off assignments in school. We would often get a sense of the last possible time to start. We would often get a knack for this timing. Procrastination can become a lifestyle.
In delaying faith, some plan to put it off until they are old. This might be 40 years. They fully intend to “become religious” then. However, unlike the procrastination addressed earlier, they don’t have practice so as to get a sense of timing. Saving faith is a matter of the heart. These type of changes don’t happen in an instant. To turn a cruise ship takes time and distance. So, also to change a life course isn’t like flipping a light switch. Not to say that coming to faith is difficult and can’t happen in a moment.
Faith growth is usually based on opportunities and attitudes. These rarely can be placed on a calendar. We make choices based on life events, emotions and insights. If we deny the spiritual every time it arrises (because we’ll attend to that when we’re 60), our senses get dull (Hebrews 5:11).
One reason we deny the spiritual is because of our lifestyle. Coming to Christ changes a life. Many don’t want that now. However, to not choose Christ is to pick self and unrighteousness. 2 Thess 2:10 speaks of the deluding influence of this. We don’t live in a vacuum. There are evil forces battling over our souls. The devil and his demons seeks to deceive all of us. By not choosing Christ, means choosing darkness. We fall under the devil’s spell. Our senses are off. We think we have plenty of time, when we may not.
To further the point of being deluded, if we choose unrighteousness, by putting off God, then He confirms our choice. The Lord will allow this one to believe things that are false. While one just intended to postpone Christ, that one usually ends up believing different things years later. They no longer see the need for the gospel. This is a scary consequence of procrastinating faith.
Lord, help us not to delay the important things. Help us to respond to Your voice. Protect us from the evil one who seeks to deceive us.