When Good Is the Enemy of the Best

The clock read 4 a.m., and I had lost count of how many episodes of Community I had binge-watched.

Earlier that day I had blocked off an entire day for writing. I planned to spend several hours editing a piece I wanted to bring to a writer’s group the next day.

So instead of getting to work, naturally I decided to procrastinate. I read an entire book in one sitting. At the time, info about detoxing my body seemed WAY more important than working.

I wanted to give myself an excuse not to go the next day. Can you blame me? Letting other writers critique your work feels a bit like jumping into a lake of piranhas.

What I didn’t realize is how fear so often drives procrastination. I wanted to give myself an excuse not to go to that writer’s group, so I sabotaged myself.

Maybe you can relate. I started taking note of all the incessant self-distraction. Turns out I’m afraid to focus and really give something my all.

What if I fail?

Turns out I’ve devised a complex scheme of avoidance behavior. Below is a list of ways I’ve been tempted in the past few days:

• Care for friends with the flu. (I’m actually volunteering myself to do grocery shopping for sick friends just to get out away from my computer.)
• Text a long-lost friend.
• Obsess about the Turpin case in California, reading every scrap of news.
• Deep clean the house. (I mean seriously?)
• Schedule extra playdates for the kids.
• Deep dive into school subjects and teach way over my kids’ level.
• Diagnose myself with all kinds of maladies. (Turns out I’m only a hypochondriac when I’m avoiding writing.)
• Obsessively research natural health and natural remedies.

 

Did you notice something? Most of these activities are healthy and a pretty good use of time. That’s how I’ve been duped for so many years.

I’ve hidden behind good while neglecting what’s right. 

I’m finally learning that doing good things can’t hold a candle to doing the right thing!

As they say, “Good is often the enemy of the best.” But in my experience good is also the enemy of the right thing.

Are you hiding behind something good instead of stepping out into the right thing—God’s best for your life?

Women especially are good at hiding behind our role as wife and mom. We have a million legitimate excuses because the kids and our homes ALWAYS need something.

If God is calling you out of hiding, the laundry and dishes can wait. Nothing is sweeter than obeying Jesus and feeling His smile on your life.

Can we please stop sidestepping what God has called us to do? Let’s be brave. Let’s kick fear in the face.

So tell me. What good things do you substitute for the right thing? How have you learned to face fear?

I would love to hear the tips you’ve learned along the way.