"The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor" (Prov. 21:25, ESV).
I have learned a lot about myself in the last few weeks. I realized at some point several months ago that I shifted into auto-pilot. I haven't quite figured out how to change it. I guess that isn't quite true. I know what it will take to change it, but I am afraid to do it. I feel like Frodo in the Fellowship of the Ring.
The right course is usually not the easiest course. Sometimes it is full of danger and loneliness. But more than that, it is usually filled with action. In truth, the right course is most usually perpetual action.
The hardest part for some is decision to do. Will I? or Won't I?
The question then becomes: what sort of person am I? Do I want, yet lack the heart to act? Or do I refuse to want because I'm not going to act?
The sluggard or lazy person want, but lack to heart to act. They can't get themselves motivated to do anything. The sluggard is marked by inaction.
I have found in my own life that several things lead me to laziness. Sometimes I lack focus or direction. Other times I lack genuine passion or concern about things. More often than not, I realize that it will take hard work to achieve what I want, and I'm not willing to do it.
I have tried to analyze the why of inaction, but I haven't found the magic bullet. They answer is as complex as the problem. In one venture it seems like the pay off isn't worth the effort. In another, it feels like the risk for failure it just too high.
In the end, I guess what matters is what kind of person we want to be and what kind of life we want. Do we want to be the kind of person who failed to pursue their dreams and therefore spends the rest of their lives consumed by regrets and what ifs? Or do we want to be the kind of person who looks back on their life and sees a legacy. This proverb calls us to work hard for our dreams. We would be wise to heed the advice.
Showing posts with label Laziness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laziness. Show all posts
Monday, January 21, 2013
Saturday, September 22, 2012
No Excuses
"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion outside!' or 'I will be murdered in the streets!'" (Prov. 22:13, NIV).
I find this proverb interesting. The point appears to be that a lazy person always has an excuse. They can always give you an explanation for why they can't get something done, even if when the explanation takes longer to deliver (and dream up) than task would have taken to complete.
It should cause us to think about the ways in which we excuse ourselves. Maybe this sluggard was telling the truth, and lion did roam the streets. But why doesn't he get his hunting gear and take care of that problem? Maybe his streets are filled with dangerous criminals. But why doesn't he team up with his neighbors and make it a safer place.
Maybe all the excuses we have are true. Maybe we missed our deadline, because we were sick. Or maybe we missed it because the weeks leading up to the deadline were filled with idle play and fruitless business.
I want to get to a place in my life where I no longer need to make excuses. I realize that every plan I make will not come to fruition. But it's better to be active than reactive. It is better to do something and fail, than do nothing. It's time to stop fearing the lions, which may or may not exist, and start fearing the missed opportunities. Life to short for excuses.
I find this proverb interesting. The point appears to be that a lazy person always has an excuse. They can always give you an explanation for why they can't get something done, even if when the explanation takes longer to deliver (and dream up) than task would have taken to complete.
It should cause us to think about the ways in which we excuse ourselves. Maybe this sluggard was telling the truth, and lion did roam the streets. But why doesn't he get his hunting gear and take care of that problem? Maybe his streets are filled with dangerous criminals. But why doesn't he team up with his neighbors and make it a safer place.
Maybe all the excuses we have are true. Maybe we missed our deadline, because we were sick. Or maybe we missed it because the weeks leading up to the deadline were filled with idle play and fruitless business.
I want to get to a place in my life where I no longer need to make excuses. I realize that every plan I make will not come to fruition. But it's better to be active than reactive. It is better to do something and fail, than do nothing. It's time to stop fearing the lions, which may or may not exist, and start fearing the missed opportunities. Life to short for excuses.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Laziness
I often struggle with procrastination. I know that I have written about it more than once, but it is a persistent problem. I'm a relatively sure that I have vowed, on more than one occasion, to battle this debilitating fiend. Yet, I find that I easily slip right back into the same old habits.
Why do today, what can be done tomorrow? At least, that is how the logic flows. Why allow yourself to be inconvenienced unnecessarily when there is plenty of time to get to it. I'm not even sure when or where I picked up that line of thinking. Maybe it is just the way of the sinful human heart. Maybe sloth is just the way (one of many) that sin affects my heart.
I have known for awhile that laziness is a weakness. That knowledge has not produced the solution that I had hoped would be forthcoming. The only solution for laziness is daily doses of strenuous labor (mental or physical), administered under the watchful eyes of those who will hold you accountable. The process is further aided by scheduling and organizing.
Recently, I have turned my mind to the question: What one thing could I do to change my life for the better? The usual suspects made their appearance. I considered losing weight, praying more, reading more, etc. But each suggested "fix" made me wonder if there was something more going on. As I looked at problem area in my life, I realized that the root of most of my problems was laziness.
For one reason or another, I have allowed myself to become consumed by laziness. It affects every area of my life: my health, my finances, my relationships, my studying, my job, my friendships. It affects everything.
Sloth is a dragon that must be slain in my life. Laziness is holding me hostage in clutches, keeping me from enjoying the freedom that is mine in Christ. I am working on a plan that will liberate me from the clutches of laziness--hopefully forever. I'm pulling together resources to help others who might be in the same boat as me.
I would love the hear your ideas. How do you combat laziness in your life? What resources have motivated you to overcome laziness? How have you kept from slipping back into laziness? I'll be looking forward to your responses.
Why do today, what can be done tomorrow? At least, that is how the logic flows. Why allow yourself to be inconvenienced unnecessarily when there is plenty of time to get to it. I'm not even sure when or where I picked up that line of thinking. Maybe it is just the way of the sinful human heart. Maybe sloth is just the way (one of many) that sin affects my heart.
I have known for awhile that laziness is a weakness. That knowledge has not produced the solution that I had hoped would be forthcoming. The only solution for laziness is daily doses of strenuous labor (mental or physical), administered under the watchful eyes of those who will hold you accountable. The process is further aided by scheduling and organizing.
Recently, I have turned my mind to the question: What one thing could I do to change my life for the better? The usual suspects made their appearance. I considered losing weight, praying more, reading more, etc. But each suggested "fix" made me wonder if there was something more going on. As I looked at problem area in my life, I realized that the root of most of my problems was laziness.
For one reason or another, I have allowed myself to become consumed by laziness. It affects every area of my life: my health, my finances, my relationships, my studying, my job, my friendships. It affects everything.
Sloth is a dragon that must be slain in my life. Laziness is holding me hostage in clutches, keeping me from enjoying the freedom that is mine in Christ. I am working on a plan that will liberate me from the clutches of laziness--hopefully forever. I'm pulling together resources to help others who might be in the same boat as me.
I would love the hear your ideas. How do you combat laziness in your life? What resources have motivated you to overcome laziness? How have you kept from slipping back into laziness? I'll be looking forward to your responses.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Slothfulness
"Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger" (Prov. 19:15).
It is easy to make excuses when your lazy. Solomon warns, "Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep." There is a type of "tired" that accompanies laziness. It isn't the same kind of tired that accompanies a hard day's work. It isn't the same kind of tired that accompanies sleepless nights caring for a sick child. It is the kind of "tired" that requires two naps to make it through the day. It's the kind of tired that stays with you even when you haven't done anything in days.
Poverty accompanies laziness. Not that all poor people are lazy, some work very hard. Others have money, but are lazy. Yet lazy people want and want, but never really get what they desire.
When we get comfortable with the routine of our life, there is a temptation to get lazy. Once we have achieved our desired goals the tendency for some is to relax. Solomon warns that this isn't wise.
Do you struggle with laziness? How do you combat being lazy?
It is easy to make excuses when your lazy. Solomon warns, "Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep." There is a type of "tired" that accompanies laziness. It isn't the same kind of tired that accompanies a hard day's work. It isn't the same kind of tired that accompanies sleepless nights caring for a sick child. It is the kind of "tired" that requires two naps to make it through the day. It's the kind of tired that stays with you even when you haven't done anything in days.
Poverty accompanies laziness. Not that all poor people are lazy, some work very hard. Others have money, but are lazy. Yet lazy people want and want, but never really get what they desire.
When we get comfortable with the routine of our life, there is a temptation to get lazy. Once we have achieved our desired goals the tendency for some is to relax. Solomon warns that this isn't wise.
Do you struggle with laziness? How do you combat being lazy?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Study Indicates We May Be Lazy
We are beginning a study on laziness on Wednesday nights. Tonight we looked at Proverbs 6:6-11 and 24:30-34. These passages give a good overview of "the sluggard." Starting Wednesday December 2, 2009, we will look for a biblical definition of laziness, the underlying causes, and the remedy for spiritual laziness. Here are some of the other verses to consider (Prov. 10:26; 12:24, 27; 13:4; 15:15, 24; 20:4; 21:25; 22:13; 24:30; 26:13-16; Rom. 12:11; and 1 Th. 5:14).
Friday, December 5, 2008
Go to the Ant
"Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise" (Prov. 6:6, ESV).
Every so often I am reminded that hard work, physical or mental, is not part of the curse placed on Adam and his descendants. We are called to be diligent in mind and body. We are to labor with intensity and passion. We see here that there exists, within the natural order, patterns for us to observe and learn from. Solomon calls his reader to consider the diligence of the ant. The ant is about the task of preparing and approaches the task with determination.
The term "sluggard" carries with it a degree of shame. It describes someone who is lazy. The book of Proverbs has a lot of things to say against the sluggard. Even in the descriptions of the sluggard are harsh. The sluggard is supposed to be scorned by Solomon's readers, and his ways rejected. As Solomon describes it, laziness is rewarded with poverty and hardship, but hard work is rewarded with wealth and success.
The sluggard is one who will not lift a finger to help himself. He thinks it is everyone else's job to provide for him, and that work is for suckers. As believers in Christ this kind of attitude is to be rejected by us. We want to display the glorious character of Christ. We cannot do that by being lazy. Jesus was continually doing what the Father called him to do.
I am not suggesting that we never take a break. Sabbath, after all, was made for man, Jesus said. We are creatures who need rest, but if our default mode is procrastination; if we are always ready to put off until tomorrow what we should do today, then we may be lazy. Solomon says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might . . ." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV). Paul also states, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31, ESV). We should seek to serve the Lord with diligence in all we do.
So the next time you find an ant searching your kitchen for provisions, and before you kill it for its trespass, ask yourself, "Am I that diligent?" Have you looked to the ant to learn from it? Have you heard all that he has to teach you? Then roll up your sleeves and get back to work.
Every so often I am reminded that hard work, physical or mental, is not part of the curse placed on Adam and his descendants. We are called to be diligent in mind and body. We are to labor with intensity and passion. We see here that there exists, within the natural order, patterns for us to observe and learn from. Solomon calls his reader to consider the diligence of the ant. The ant is about the task of preparing and approaches the task with determination.
The term "sluggard" carries with it a degree of shame. It describes someone who is lazy. The book of Proverbs has a lot of things to say against the sluggard. Even in the descriptions of the sluggard are harsh. The sluggard is supposed to be scorned by Solomon's readers, and his ways rejected. As Solomon describes it, laziness is rewarded with poverty and hardship, but hard work is rewarded with wealth and success.
The sluggard is one who will not lift a finger to help himself. He thinks it is everyone else's job to provide for him, and that work is for suckers. As believers in Christ this kind of attitude is to be rejected by us. We want to display the glorious character of Christ. We cannot do that by being lazy. Jesus was continually doing what the Father called him to do.
I am not suggesting that we never take a break. Sabbath, after all, was made for man, Jesus said. We are creatures who need rest, but if our default mode is procrastination; if we are always ready to put off until tomorrow what we should do today, then we may be lazy. Solomon says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might . . ." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV). Paul also states, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31, ESV). We should seek to serve the Lord with diligence in all we do.
So the next time you find an ant searching your kitchen for provisions, and before you kill it for its trespass, ask yourself, "Am I that diligent?" Have you looked to the ant to learn from it? Have you heard all that he has to teach you? Then roll up your sleeves and get back to work.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)