Stone of Procrastination: Fear of Failure

I have a confession to make...I am a procrastinator. I don't like that about myself, but it is something I struggle with almost on a daily basis. There are many things I don't procrastinate on at all, while other things weigh me down to the point of immobility and I struggle to take a baby step forward in those areas, much less be able to perform with grace and efficiency.

This has been bothering me for a while now, and I started asking God to reveal to me what causes me to be able to thrive in one area, but struggle so desperately in another.

One day I decided to get to the core of what was going on because i recognized that each time I was procrastinating, anxiety and other uncomfortable emotions were always attached. I created a form for me to fill out each time I noticed I was avoiding something that I should be doing. My questions were these:

• What am I supposed to be doing?
• (be specific)

• What excuses am I using for not doing it?
• (physical ailments, family commitments, can't concentrate) 

• What activity am I doing to distract myself from what I am supposed to be doing?
• (internet, over committed schedule, television, other tasks) 

• What can't be done yet because the task I am putting off hasn't been completed?
• (be specific) 

• Which one am I actually avoiding: the first task, the second task, or both?
• What revelations are you getting? 

• What are my deepest emotions when I contemplate doing this task?
• list all 

• How is my thinking messed up?
• list all thoughts no matter how insignificant they may seem 

• What would God say about my wrong thinking...what is His truth to dispel the lie I am believing?
• Scripture 

I also Included and area at the bottom for prayer and another area to document results.

• Place to write out a prayer.

• Place to document my results.

Something unexpected happened. The things I was

putting off, were all things I feel inadequate to do. The anxieties I feel are linked to fear of failure. Sure, there were other things sprinkled in there, but the big ones that kept me stuck linked back to either feeling like I wasn't good enough or being afraid that I would fail.

That was quite the revelation:

My stone of procrastination is a subconscious fear that I may fail.

There it is, there is my stone of procrastination... fear of failure. I had to dig (go through the above questions) to get to it...but what do I do with it now that I have identified the culprit that weighs me down?

Take it to God.

The lies in my head tell me that I am not good enough. I can't do it. I will FAIL miserably.

God tells me exactly the opposite!

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.",(Philippians 4:13, NLT) 

* I, Tammy, can do everything--- even this things that makes me afraid---because God gives me the strength to do it.

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."(Ephesians 2:10,NLT)

 *I, Tammy, am God's masterpiece. God created me to do good things that He planned for me to do. I have a purpose that was planned for me before I was born.

"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.",(Psalm 139:5,NLT)

* God goes before me, Tammy, and He follows me. That means He guides my path and has my back. He also places blessings upon me.

 "If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.",(Psalm 139:8-10,NLT) 

*It Doesn't matter where I, Tammy, go or run to--- even if its to run form something that intimidates me---God is there with me. His hand guides me and His strength supports me. 

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.",(Psalm 139:13-14,NLT)

 *God made me, Tammy, wonderful and complex. How He created me is marvelous! I know it well and am thankful that He made me so wonderful!

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!",(Psalm 139:17-19, NLT)

* God thinks many beautiful thoughts about me, 
Tammy. So many they can't be numbered.

With God's truth dispelling the lies of inadequacy and the fears of failure, I gain the courage to conquer the stone of procrastination and trust God with the results of my efforts.

These personalized scriptures don't only apply to me...God feels the same about you. I encourage you to use them (personalizing them with your name) to help you overcome your stones of procrastination. 

Dear Lord, Help me understand the source of my procrastination. As I look at the lies that I am believing, help me counter those lies with your truth. Thank you for loving me beyond anything I can deserve or understand. In Jesus' name I pray~ Amen