450. Stop Saying "Not Yet": It's Not Too Late to Change
Stop Saying "Not Yet": It's Not Too Late to Change
What have you gotten so used to that you don't even see it anymore?
From 2004 to 2012, Rob Skinner worked as a realtor while planting a church in Ashland, Oregon. Whenever someone bought a fixer-upper, he gave them one piece of advice:
Fix the problems right away.
Why?
Because human beings have an incredible ability to get used to almost anything.
The cracked tile that drives you crazy when you first move in eventually becomes your cracked tile.
You stop noticing it.
Rob shares an unforgettable illustration from John Kotter and Dan Cohen's The Heart of Change: if you leave something unfixed long enough, eventually you could get used to stepping over the proverbial "dead body in the living room."
And we don't just do this with houses.
We do it with our:
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marriages
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character
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spiritual lives
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health
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finances
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relationships
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dreams
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ministries
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callings
We live with something for so long that eventually we stop seeing it.
What's Your Unfinished Foundation?
In the book of Haggai, God's people returned to Jerusalem excited to rebuild the temple.
They restored worship.
They laid the foundation.
Then opposition came.
The work became difficult.
They got discouraged.
And they stopped.
One year passed.
Then two.
Five.
Ten.
Eventually, roughly 16 years had passed.
Imagine walking by that unfinished temple foundation every day.
At first:
"We need to finish that."
Years later:
"We really should get around to that someday."
Eventually?
You barely notice it.
The unfinished foundation has become part of the scenery.
That's what can happen in our lives.
Maybe you once intended to deal with your temper, bitterness, lust, selfishness or lack of discipline.
Maybe there's an issue in your marriage that you and your spouse have learned to work around rather than resolve.
Maybe you once dreamed about having a vibrant relationship with God, knowing your Bible, helping people and making a difference.
Maybe it's your health.
Your finances.
The book you wanted to write.
The business you wanted to start.
The church you wanted to plant.
The person you wanted to mentor.
The relationship you wanted to repair.
You didn't necessarily decide it wasn't important.
You just started saying:
"Not yet."
Two Dangerous Words: "Not Yet"
God's people didn't say they would never rebuild the temple.
They said:
"The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord's house." — Haggai 1:2
Not yet.
I'll work on my marriage—but not yet.
I'll deal with my finances—but not yet.
I'll get serious about my health—but not yet.
I'll deal with that sin—but not yet.
I'll pursue that dream—but not yet.
When work slows down.
When the kids get older.
When I have more money.
When I'm less stressed.
When life settles down.
But life rarely settles down.
And "not yet" has a nasty habit of turning into "never."
What Does Your Life Say Matters?
Haggai challenges God's people:
"Give careful thought to your ways."
Don't just look at what you say matters.
Look at what you're actually doing.
Look at your calendar.
Look at your spending.
Look at your attention.
Look at your energy.
What gets the first and best part of you?
Does the way you're living match what you say matters most?
Jesus didn't say to seek only God's kingdom.
He said:
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness." — Matthew 6:33
Something has to come first.
If you wait to give the most important things the time that's left over, there probably won't be any time left.
16 Years of Delay. 23 Days to Change.
Here's the hopeful part of Haggai.
The people had procrastinated for approximately 16 years.
Then Haggai challenged them to reconsider their ways.
They listened.
They repented.
They obeyed.
And 23 days later, they were building again.
Their circumstances didn't change first.
They did.
They still had jobs.
Bills.
Families.
Opposition.
Hard work.
What changed was their priorities.
And then God told them:
"I am with you."
He stirred their spirits and they got to work.
Maybe we've been waiting for that sequence to happen backward.
"When I feel motivated, I'll exercise."
"When I feel close to God, I'll pray."
"When I feel passionate, I'll share my faith."
"When I feel creative, I'll write."
"When I feel ready, I'll have the difficult conversation."
But maybe you shouldn't wait until you feel stirred to obey.
Obey—and see what gets stirred.
Put on your shoes.
Open your Bible.
Make the phone call.
Schedule the appointment.
Apologize.
Write the first paragraph.
Make the budget.
Submit the application.
Pick up the hammer.
Take the first step.
Find Your "Dead Body"
When this episode ends, take ten quiet minutes and ask:
What's the "dead body" in my living room?
What have I gotten so accustomed to that I barely see it anymore?
What's my unfinished foundation?
And where have I been saying:
"Not yet"?
Don't make a list of ten things.
Pick one.
Then do something about it in the next 24 hours.
Because 16 years of procrastination can become 23 days of transformation.
Your past delay does not have to determine your future.
You haven't missed your opportunity simply because you've waited.
The unfinished foundation is still there.
And as long as you're alive, you can pick up the hammer again.
Have a great day—and make this life count.
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