Spiritual To-do List

Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

2 John 1:8

There are two words that, at first glance, might not seem to go with one another: procrastination and priorities. We think of procrastinators as people who put off doing what should be done—that is, life’s priorities. But that doesn’t mean they put off everything. They do what is important to them—even procrastinators have priorities!

And that applies to everyone. All of us have things we choose to do each day based on our personal set of values. And if the disciplines of the spiritual life are continually excluded from our day—week after week, month after month—then it means they don’t have the value in our lives that would move them higher on our list of priorities. We need to be honest with ourselves and with God. Calling ourselves Christians but failing to practice the disciplines of the Christian life—prayer, service, acts of compassion, study of God’s Word, worship—sets up a disconnect for which we will one day give account.

Take stock today. Are you procrastinating about the real priorities in your spiritual life? This would be a good day to move them higher on your to-do list.

We have left undone those things which we ought to have done.

BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER