AVOIDING SLOTHFULNESS
I Thessalonians 4: 11-12
Slothfulness, indolence or laziness is sin. The indolent or lazy man can never reach his goal neither can he ever fulfill destiny. God desires that we do our own business, work with our hands, and leave a legacy for the next generation. God’s requirement for us is diligence, this virtue will help us nurture our faith, grow in our daily walk with the Lord and prosper in the things we lay our hands on.
Even nature teaches us that there is a reward in diligence of hard work: the law of sowing crops and harvesting them in due season and enjoying a rich harvest; cracking a nut that is hidden in a tough, thorny case and enjoying the rich fruit or seed buried herein; the pearl that is buried in the belly of ocean waves; and gold that is hidden in the bowels of hard rocky mountains, the baby that comes forth after a rigorous session of labour. Indeed only the diligent gets a reward for his labour.
The lazy man is easy to identify. He sleeps excessively, (Proverbs 6:9), lacks direction in life. He makes excuses that are not tenable, and makes himself a laughing stock: he says there is a lion in the street, Proverbs 22:13, and gives excuses why an action cannot be carried out. He is a waster of time, resources, talents, and divine opportunities. He makes himself a burden to others; he refuses to work or lift a finger and has an entitlement mentality. He is easily offended when others do not gravitate round him or meet his unending demands and needs.
It is God’s will that we prosper in all spheres, he wants us to have all-round success as mentioned in 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” To enjoy the abundance God has prepared for us we must do a 180 degree tunr putting indolence behind us and face the course of diligence. Get up! Get going! Put your hands to work. Be hard working, avoid indolence, and stop giving excuses. Depend on God, and rely on his faithfulness to fulfill his promises, Psalm 34: 10. Make good use of divine opportunities. God ordains opportunities for our good and our profiting. Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness and remember his promises to you even in hard time. He promised to keep you in famine and in disaster, Isaiah 26: 3. He will feed you, Psalm37: 3; cause you to eat in abundance and be satisfied, Proverbs 13: 25 and help you in the time of trouble, Psalm 46: 1.
PRAYER: LORD, deliver me from the sin of laziness
