Time and the demon: procrastination.

I've long meant to write something about procrastination, but I'd kept putting it off--until now. If (as the saying goes) the road to hell is paved with good intentions, then surely procrastinators like me are laying most of the paving stones. One of my worst weaknesses is postponing for another day what ought to be done now. In university it was starting term papers the night before they were due; today it's things like hemming my husband's new dress pants fifteen minutes before we're supposed to leave for a wedding.

While motherhood has improved the situation somewhat (babies' needs in general and dirty diapers in particular require immediate attention), I'm still far from being cured. I frequently joke that procrastination will be the death of me, but I ought to take it a little more seriously. Even if it doesn't cause physical pain, procrastination can cause spiritual frailty, which is far worse.

Procrastinators put things off because we repeatedly fall for one of Satan's most successful lies: "Relax--you've got lots of time." I'm assuming there will always be a tomorrow to do those tasks which eat away at my conscience. I know I'm not alone. How often have you heard the following, or made similar statements yourself? "I'm too tired/busy to pray now--I'll do it later;" "When this project is finished, we'll spend some time together;" "I'll have to take Grandpa fishing one of these weekends;" "Let's get together for coffee soon;" "No, I'm busy, I'll read to you later;" "When I'm retired, I'll have lots of time for spiritual reading/parish work/praying/ (fill in the blank)."

Yet we know that in the Lord's conception of time, there are no such things as "later" and "tomorrow." Jesus never said, "One of these days, you should probably give some serious thought to changing your life..." He was much more direct and spoke to people in the present tense: "Repent, and believe in the gospel;" "Go, and sin no more;" and "Follow me!"

St. Paul echoes this in his second Letter to the Corinthians: "Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor 6:2). In the gospel of Luke, Jesus invites various people to follow him, but they all have excuses ready. "Later, Lord--I need to take care of a few things at home first." His response to them? "Whoever puts his hand to the plow but keeps looking back is unfit for the reign of God" (Luke 9:62).

Putting your hand to the plow is no more than a good intention; procrastination is the "looking back" which keeps us from moving. Instead of seizing the moment and getting on with what needs to be done, we turn back to our own comfort zone, our own laziness, to the less demanding attitude of "Not right now..." The irony is, you hardly feel comfortable when you procrastinate. The anxiety and ever-present guilt from those undone tasks, deferred commitments, missed deadlines, and lost opportunities take up far more time and energy than just pulling up your socks and doing the job.

Ask anyone who's afflicted by it and they'll agree: procrastination is not just a bad habit; it's like a demon on your back. Fortunately, Jesus is very good at dispensing with demons; all we have to do is ask--not only for deliverance from such destructive habits, but for the daily grace to cooperate with God's will. Success may not come overnight, but it can be achieved with regular prayer and frequent reception of the Sacraments (especially Confession and Holy Eucharist).

Next time you feel tempted to put off a job that must be done, try following one of the best bits of advice I ever received from a spiritual advisor: "Exercise your will." And resolve not to believe the devil when he tells you there's lots of time. The truth is, we simply don't have the luxury of planning to serve God "someday." For God, who created time, someday is now. He is eternally present to us, and He wants us to be eternally present to Him. Time is a gift of God, but Satan uses it, and lies about it, for his own ends. Don't buy the lie. There isn't lots of time--there's only today. Use it for God's glory. (+)

Mariette Ulrich is from Scott, SK. Her column appears every other month.