Knowing To Do Good
James 4:17 (NKJV) “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Have you ever wondered why, when it is time for you to get things done, your mind suddenly gets flooded with other things to do? Think about it. You have something good you need to do, but then you think of everything that needs to get done, e.g., put the dishes in the dishwasher, pay a bill, call that friend you’ve been meaning to call for the past week. Whatever the reason, everything pops into your mind, and you end up doing some of them.
The enemy distracts you because he doesn’t want you to do what God is guiding you to do. Procrastination leads you down the path of Good Intentions. Good intentions lead you down a path of excuses and inaction. And inaction is disobedience, which is sin. You didn’t do the task, but you had every good intention of doing it. So you don’t feel any guilt because you tell yourself you planned to do it, but other things came up, so it is on your list of things to get done. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but you are believing a lie. You are telling yourself it is OK NOT to do what you are supposed to do. There is an old saying: when you rationalize, you are just telling yourself, “rational lies.”
Knowing what is right and not doing it is the same as not knowing at all.
Some folks are motivated to get things done. They wake up every morning at 5 a.m., make a list of things to get done that day, then attack their goals with a vengeance. These folks are commonly known as Go-Getters or High Achievers. You can learn a lot from High Achievers, but there is one danger. High achievers sometimes get so focused on their task list that they seek self-fulfillment instead of being led by God. As long as you put God first in everything you do, everything you desire will be completed and added to you.
When your mind feels flooded with tasks and you feel emotionally overwhelmed, ask God for His peace. Ask Him to guide you to what is true. Then speak a very simple, powerful word out loud: “No!” I will not get distracted. I will stay focused on what God needs me to do, because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Be Blessed!
Ron
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