On Putting off Papers

I hate writing papers.

Today was my last day of class for my Monday night class. Consequently, I had a paper due. It wasn't that long of a paper--only 4 pages. I've done a lot worse in my collegiate career, but still, I just couldn't seem to get motivated to sit down and type those 4 pages.

Maybe it was the fact that it was for a class that I don't particularly have a use for. Or maybe it was because it was the last project due for that class, and I was kind of burned out. Or perhaps I was just not back in the swing of things after returning from Thanksgiving. I don't know, but I sure didn't want to write that paper. I did anything and everything trying to put it off until the last minute.

I ended up finishing the thing early this afternoon. It didn't take too long, but it wasn't my best work. I didn't put forth my entire effort on it. I just wanted to type the four pages so that I could be done with it, turn it in, and be finished with that class. I don't know that I've ever felt such an urge to be done with a semester than this one.

As I sit here thinking about how I treated that paper, I think about how we react to the fact that God wants us to spend time with him. We feel busy or burned out and put off what we know that God wants us to do, finding excuses to do anything else. Sure we have enough time to watch a TV show or play a video game, but we don't have enough time to study God's Word or spend some time in prayer.

On top of that, when we actually sit down to read the Bible or spend a few minutes in prayer, we often just power through it. We read a chapter, close the book and run off to do the next thing. Or, we say a quick prayer just to say we did so and move on to the next task of the day.

I don't expect to get a wonderful grade on that paper. I didn't put enough time and effort into it. And right now, I'm not doing so well in my relationship with the Lord, because I'm not putting enough time and effort into that either.

No, God will not fail me (I'm hoping my professor doesn't). God will still love me. However, he is quite disappointed when we don't give him our best efforts. After all, he gave his best effort for us. He puts us first, above everything. Why can't we do the same for him?

So, while I may not have anymore homework to do for school, I've still got some work to do in seeking my God.

And I can't procrastinate with that.