Before You Hit SNOOZE…

Ahhh, wouldn’t it be great if we could always go to bed at a decent hour, sleep soundly through the night, and when the alarm clock rings at the appointed time in the morning, we would hop out of bed well rested and ready to tackle the day? The reality is that, for many of us, when that alarm rings in the morning, our usual response is to hit SNOOZE. Are we hitting the spiritual snooze button as well?

Whoever invented the snooze feature revolutionized the way we approach the day. We don’t consider ourselves being completely disobedient to the alarm clock’s demand for us to rise and shine—we just reserve the right to delay it a little bit. Of course we will eventually get up, but we want to ease ourselves into it.

In our Christian walk, the snooze feature can be detrimental. When God requires us to do something, it’s not with the option of hitting SNOOZE. He wants us to act immediately!

A great example was when Jesus called the first disciples to walk with him. Peter and his brother Andrew were hard at work when Jesus commanded them to follow Him. The Bible reports that, “At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Matthew 4:21-22) This was no small action on their part, by the way. These men were leaving behind their livelihood, their families, and their way of life, to step by faith into something unimaginable. Yet their immediate action changed their lives and brought a magnitude of glory to the kingdom of God.

So why don’t we take immediate action when God commands us to move?
• We don’t feel prepared. Self-doubt can keep us from taking the first step forward. Yet we should feel confident that if God has led us to do something, He will provide us with what we need to get it done. Remember Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
• We are afraid. Fear and faith cannot coexist. Trust in Him to overcome the fear and accomplish what you have already been empowered to do. Remember 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
• We are tired. We are human, and our flesh is prone to feeling run down. There may be times where we are even ready to give up. But don’t lose heart! Remember Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

When God calls, we should never hit snooze, but be ready to MOVE!