It’s Never Too Late (3/3)

This is the final post in a 3-part series on depending on grace constantly. In this post, I want to talk about how it’s never too late to turn back to our Heavenly Father for grace and strength.

Let’s revisit the situation from our previous post: you have the whole day in front of you and a laundry lists of tasks you need to get done. With excitement, you resolve to yourself: I’m going to be productive today.

But you fail. Against your better judgment, you fritter away hours on trivial distractions. When the end of the day rolls around, you have nothing to show for it. Sadly, it isn’t the first time this has happened. It’s an all-too-familiar pattern.

You feel miserable. You hate how you’ve made this mistake so many times before and yet feel powerless to change. You berate yourself for being so foolish and short-sighted.

At the same time, you’re tempted to spiral down deeper into the hole of procrastination. Succumbing to distraction is the path of least resistance and allows you to avoid facing your frustration with yourself. You think to yourself: “I’ve already wasted the day, so I might as well waste some more time.”

“It’s never too late”

Over the years, I’ve found it helpful to remind myself of this simple phrase when I’m tempted to spiral further into bad habits after a rough day. It helps me to pause and snap out of the stupor of self-sabotaging procrastination.

I am often lazy, fearful, and a poor steward who lacks sober-mindedness. I am like the prodigal son, squandering the precious time given to me by my gracious Heavenly Father.

But the solution is not to beat myself up and will myself to do better next time. Productivity is a cruel master when I seek to justify myself through accomplishments and self-discipline. Yes, by all means, I should get in the lab. I should be proactive in identifying patterns of failure and strategic in planning for the future.

But first, I need to come to my senses and take the quick road back to my Father’s house. Praise God that it’s never too late to come home. Praise God that because of Christ, I am welcomed not as a slave, but as a son. Praise God that he waits for me with arms wide open, with forgiveness for sin and provision for weakness.

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That’s it for my first series of posts on this blog. It’s not the best writing, but in this season, it’s better for me to prioritize consistency over perfectionism. In case you missed a few of the posts, here’s a breakdown of the entire series:

One Foot Forward, One Day’s Grace
Road Map

One Foot Forward – Take small steps consistently

• Set Goals (1/3)
• Have a System (2/3)
• Get in the Lab (3/3)

One Day’s Grace – Depend on grace constantly

• Habits of Dependence (1/3)
• Grace to Get Started (2/3)
• It’s Never Too Late (3/3)