The mistake I Made Last Night – Don’t be Too Quick to Reward Yourself with Sleep

Last night, I went to bed with an issue unattended. An issue which had an expiry date of last night.  

I went to bed because I was tired; I went to bed because I deserved it. I had worked hard all day and I needed the rest. Even the Bible says that the sleep of a labourer is sweet (Ecclesiates 5: 12). I had laboured and so my sleep had every right to be sweet.

The day had many challenges, but I was a hero because I conquered all. The day had really bad weather but I was prepared for it.  I came, I saw, I conquered; so it was naptime.

WRONG!!!

Sleep was rewarding, expected and required at that time. But there was stuff left undone. I woke up this morning; sleep done, work undone.

I believed I deserved sleep, and yes, I did... but for one more task.

‘But for one more task’ is a very costly position to experience failure. 

‘But for one more task’ is an agonizing place to lose. 

‘But for one more task’ is a slippery slope where it could all slip away; the perfect day, job or even life that we have planned and indeed worked towards.  If we are not careful, this could be it.

Many times, we are too quick to celebrate our ‘almost victories’.

Elisha told the king to strike the ground to get victory. He struck thrice and that was enough for him. To him, that was VICTORY. But it was not.

Is the battle ever over? No. Is there ever a time to close shop until we are dead and buried? No. However, there is a time for the victory dance.

In football, the players always do a victory dance after they score. The match is not over, but the victory dance is allowed.

Now, imagine a player in the 18 yard box of the opponent, alone, the goal keeper is far away and no defender in sight. Now, this player, right before kicking the ball into the net, goes off to do a quick victory dance first. After all, what could go wrong? The net is free and the goal is his. Of course he will be insane to do that, because VICTORY ASSURED is different from VICTORY ATTAINED. The only definition of success is I know is VICTORY ATTAINED.

Yesterday was a good day for me, a great day actually.

Except, of course, I failed to make it a complete day. 

I fell into the temptation of sleeping on my successes of the day without VICTORY ATTAINED.