Work In Season

I did not see myself as a procrastinator. I was busy and I got a lot done.

So why did I often underline scripture passages that spoke about my use of time and things related? Why did I feel God wanted to get my attention about that? Did He want me to do more? Work faster?

I desperately wanted to change from being tardy to being prompt. I devoured magazine articles on self improvement, talks on time management, and books on organization. I tried for years. I did not change.

Good news at last! After reading Proverbs 6:6-11 a gazillion times over the years, the little ant got my attention! Verses 6-8 say:

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.” (NKJV)

“In the summer” and “in the harvest” jumped off the page! There is a season in which to do a thing. There is a season to benefit from having done it. If you don’t do the first, you don’t get the second.

I need to learn to work in season – to do WHAT needs doing WHEN it needs doing.

My goal before leaving the house in the morning had always been to first complete as many chores as possible – dishes done, beds made, dinner started, email answered, plants watered, etc. Then when it was time to leave – there I stood in my pj’s. If I was going to wear clothes to this event, I was going to be late.

(I know. This was nuts.)

Now I realize the in season thing to do is to dress first. Then do other things. I can leave the house without watering the plants. I cannot leave without putting on clothes.

Work in season. Benefit in season.

To help me remember to work in season each morning, I repeat a little jingle to myself: “Do what it takes to get out the door! After that – maybe more.” It’s working! I can practically hear a chorus of tiny ant voices singing along: “Do what it takes to get out the door! After that – maybe more.”

This is where God got my attention and began to change me.

Do what needs doing when it needs doing. Work in season. That’s what I had been missing!

This week, notice a time you did not do WHAT needed doing WHEN it needed doing and you missed out on the benefit. Oops! Spot an incident in which you DID WHAT needed doing WHEN it needed doing, and you received the benefit of a job done. Yea!