Have you ever said to yourself “I’ll get to this task eventually”? I’d be surprised if you haven’t, this is a common thing we as people do. Sometimes it’s laziness, or procrastination out of worry. Sometimes it’s because we feel we are too busy, too drained, too worn thin. “Eventually” is comfortable to us. I know I like the idea of something important being done without me needing to be the one to do it. “Eventually” appears to give that freedom. I can say “eventually I’ll do this”, and in my mind it’s now been done, but it’s been done by some future version of myself. I am disconnected enough from this “version of me” to feel that it’s not really me. It creates the illusion of completion without work. Unfortunately, eventually can’t be eventually forever. Sooner or later it has to either come, or not.

There’s a saying I like when it comes to repentance, “tomorrow may be too late, but today never is.” Sin is one of the worst abusers of “eventually”. How often are we caught in our sinful desires and practices, refusing to change in the moment because it feels good? We like our comfort, we like our familiarity. Even when we recognize there are consequences, we trick ourselves into believing we can handle it. It’s so easy to say, “I will kick this habit eventually.”

In my own life I fall prey to this a lot when it comes to my sleep schedule. By nature, I am a morning person. If I were to be awake for only 12 hours in a day, the earlier those hours begin, the longer and more accomplished the day feels for me. My struggle in the evening comes when I feel that I haven’t accomplished enough in the day, or when I expect I can gain more satisfaction from staying awake. Though I know I should be sleeping, I let myself stay up to watch tv, play games, talk to friends, and sometimes indulge in unhealthy habits. Every time it happens, I always convince myself, “I can handle one night of less sleep. I’ll just sleep in a little extra before work, and then sleep in a lot on the weekend. I’ve done this before, I’ll be fine!” Then of course, I find myself exhausted the following day. I can’t focus properly, I’m more irritable and whiny, and I assure myself, “eventually I’ll get into a healthier sleep cycle.”

Whatever sin or bad habit you struggle with, it will continue to hide behind the comfortable illusion of “eventually”. The bible warns us very strongly against this.

2 Peter 3:10 (ESV) – But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

The truth is we don’t know how long we have. We don’t know when “eventually” will become “too late”. But if you’re reading this now, if you are still breathing, if you have even one minute of life left in you, it’s not too late. We can confess our sin, we can ask for forgiveness, we can share the word of God and proclaim his goodness. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of hiding behind “eventually”. A life lived well won’t always be easy or fun, but I know I won’t regret it, and I know you won’t either. This week I challenge all of us, let’s throw “eventually” away. Let’s toss aside our own selfish wants and desires. Let us deny our earthly cravings, and embrace healthy habits. When God calls us to step up, let us answer. Don’t expect yourself to be perfect, and don’t beat yourself up if you fall. As long as we earnestly seek God with our whole hearts, he will welcome us and be pleased.