Are you a procrastinator? I fully admit that I am. Putting things off is in my nature, and often, it gets me into trouble.

Years ago, I was invited to a fishing trip to Canada with several friends. I was excited to be a part of it, so I made all the preparations. I got our tackle and poles, warm clothing and our plane tickets. Kathy and the others on the trip got their passports in order.

Mine, on the other hand, was getting close to expiring. If you’ve ever had to renew your passport, you know it’s a process that involves paperwork and lots of waiting. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, so of course, I avoided it.

But because I avoided it, I almost missed that trip. When I finally got around to renewing my passport, it was just days before I was booked to fly to Canada, and my passport was already expired. I ended up having to pay $200 to rush the renewal, and if it wasn’t for my wife Kathy’s ability to convince people to help us quickly, I would have missed a great opportunity.

In the end, I went fishing, and it was one of the most memorable trips I ever had – I caught one of the biggest fish I’ve caught to date! But how much better would it have been if I would have stopped avoiding what I needed to do to adequately prepare for it?

Just like I avoided applying for my passport on time, we often avoid what God is telling us to do to prepare for the amazing blessings He has in store for us.

Is there something God is asking you to do that you’ve been putting off? It could be a career decision or reconciliation with family. Maybe it’s about being more generous financially. Maybe it’s about taking the next step in your spiritual journey.

To learn more about how you can avoid avoidance and actively pursue the rich and satisfying God has for you, watch my latest talk at Alive Church.

In Christ,

Jeff