That looks like a hard word, right? It's what we might call "a big word," right? Well, look at it again. It's just two little words and a suffix. It's put, off, and itis.
The Greek suffix itis is common vernacular in this age, especially when it relates to disease. Actually the meaning of it is "disease of." So we speak of tendon-itis, which is an inflation of a tendon, or eye-ritis, which is a disease associated with the eye.
There is a common disease among Christians which I have chosen to call Putoffitis. It is the tendency to put things off, to wait until later, to procrastinate. The things involved are oft times things that are important and need immediate, sometimes urgent attention. Like lots of itises, it's something all of us suffer from time to time. Like many health problems, one of the best ways to combat this subtle but very pervasive disease is to be aware of its symptoms and catch it early.
Poor concern for important things. If we are not careful, the insignificant, the irrelevant, the unimportant will slide in and take control of our thinking. The number of admonitions in the New Testament concerning this proclivity should serve to emphasize the constant need to be aware of its possibility. Paul said, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above...set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1). And "think on these things," he said, "True things, honorable things, just things, pure things, lovely things, and things of good report" (Philippians 4:8). In a stern warning, he also said that "To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:6). Most putting off is done because we prefer to think about the wrong things.
Slow attention to opportunities. Favorable circumstances don't often repeat themselves; after they come, they are apt to disappear never to come around again. Further, opportunities don't hold their value very long. To put off grasping the occasion will often result in that occasion softening or not being as suitable as it once was. James says, "to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, it is sin" (James 4:17) One of the biggest excuses for losing opportunities is "I intended to." Intentions are often lost in Putoffitis.
Selfishness. I tried to think of several ways to say that and it just came out selfishness. Most procrastination is based on a selfish choice regarding the use of our time. Oh, we believe in God and we acknowledge Christ as Lord, we just don't have time do what needs to be done--at least not right now. Do you know anyone who doesn't intend to get right with God eventually? This kind of selfishness caused the demise of the rich man (Luke 16). And James warns, "Go to now, ye that say tomorrow we will go into such a city" for, says he, "ye know not what shall be on the morrow." We suffer from Putoffitis when we put off things. What if there is no tomorrow? What then?
Develop the habit of beginning today. There is no command of God on which you cannot begin today--right now, in fact. Name one. There is no reason for delay. Let us "exhort one another daily, while it is called today" Hebrews. 3:13). It's late, folks. We best be about doing what we can while we can.
Don't listen to the Devil. The Devil is the fomenter of Putoffitis, he is its chief mentor, its strongest advocate. He's so sneaky! You see, he doesn't really care how strongly you believe, or how much you love God, or how firmly attached you are to the word of God. If he can just get you to put off doing anything about those things, he can accomplish the same ends he would have had he caused you not to believe. Just be ready (Ephesians 6:11) when he comes around.
Keep your eyes on the goal. When you can see a possible victory, you don't stop and gaze around about it, you press toward it. Discouragement, on the other hand, will cause the goal to be hazy, far away, distorted; and that will cause you to lose interest and veer off the path. Paul said, "I press toward the mark" (Philippians 3:14). Pressing is hard; but the goal is worth it. Keeping your head up when things are hard is not easy; but the reward for having done it makes it worth it.
Stay around those who're doing something. If you hang out with folks that suffer from Putoffitis, chances are you will suffer from the same malady (1 Corinthians 15:33). But if you hang around with enthusiasm, you'll be enthusiastic. If you associate with fervor, your heart will burn too. If you run alongside motivation, you can't help but want to finish too. It's just a good thing to be with those who're doing things and be separated from those who're not.
~In Gospel Power, Anderson, Alabama, 9/7/97.