I never trust myself with a snooze button. It’s too easy to tell myself, “Just 5 more minutes,” about 7 more times. Plus, snoozing never helps! I feel just as tired after snoozing as I did beforehand. I gain nothing. I’ve only lost time.
(Photo by diego_cervo, via Vivozoom)
The problem of “mind over mattress” is one we all face, and we all deal with it in different ways.
- Some people set the alarm earlier to allow for the snooze.
- Others put the clock out of reach so they have to get up to turn off the alarm.
- Others tell themselves, Tomorrow I’ll begin to get up on time; but not today.
Spiritually speaking, we’re often called to “wake up” and get moving.
The problem? We’re tempted to slap the snooze button.
But when we do, we never gain anything.
We only lose precious time.
Check the Clock
When we wake up in the middle of the night and see the time on the clock, we smile and roll back over into Never-Never Land. Itâs not time yet to get up.
But when we snap awake with only five minutes before the alarm, our minds prepare to rise and face the day.
Being aware of the time lets us know when to get up.
(Photo by Pavel Å evela CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
The Scriptures serve as our spiritual alarm clock:
Knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand.â “Romans 13:11-12
“Night” and “day” represent the present time and a coming hour.
In other words, because the return of Christ could be at any moment, since the ultimate salvation for Christians is any day now, it’s time to quit snoozing.
Spiritually, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.
Don’t Go to Work in Your Pajamas
Most of us know what to wear and where to wear it.
- We don’t go to work in our pajamas.
- We don’t take showers in our suits or dresses.
- We don’t sleep in blue jeans.
We know what to wear at night and what to wear during the day.
They’re not the same.
How to Quit Slapping Your Spiritual Snooze Button
Spiritually, we’re told to apply the same logic.
The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. . . . But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. âRomans 13:12, 14
(Photo by Batholith, Own work, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
1. Get Ready for the Day.
Do you recognize your spiritual snooze buttons? To “make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” means don’t put yourself in a position that will ignite an urge to sin.
- Don’t hang around certain people if they influence you to compromise (1 Corinthians 15:33).
- Don’t watch a certain movie or visit a certain Web site if it’s going to tempt you to sin (Proverbs 7:7-27).
- Don’t go to the mall if you will needlessly buy something (Proverbs 30:15-16).
Where are you hitting the snooze button in your spiritual life? We’re all tempted to do it.
- We see a problem with money or our marriage and we’ll say: “Just give me five more minutes, God.”
- Or if a habitual weakness with lust is recognized, it’s tempting to slap the old spiritual snooze button and put it off. “Lord, I need just five more minutes . . . months . . . years, and then I’ll walk with Christ.”
2. Put on Your Day Clothes.
Because Jesus could return at any moment for us, we need dress ourselves with deeds that Christ would do.
- Meditate on the truth of Scripture daily (Proverbs 8:34’35).
- Live for the goals and glory of God, and not yourself (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Do you hear it? The alarm is ringing.
It’s time to wake up and get dressed. You need not choose to snooze.
Tell me what you think: What helps you quit snoozing spiritually? To leave a comment, just click here.