I have started to understand the meaning of the phrase, "time waits for no one." With my first year of college down, I can't believe that I only have three more years of undergrad to go. I actually need to get my life together (omg). I'm sure many of you can relate. We all have moments when we step back and realize how fast time has flown by. Like when you buy your first car and you feel like it was just yesterday when you were strapped into a booster seat in your mom's minivan or when you pay your first bill and miss the days when you didn't even realize why wasting the tap water irritated your parents so much.
Time does fly by and there's not anything wrong with that. Being able to look back at how far we have come and how much growth we've had is all a part of the blessing of life. This is why laziness is such an enemy. It keeps us from taking advantage of our resources and opportunities so that as time passes, we remain in one place. When we look back at the years, we don't have much to show for it. Laziness can steal your time and make a mockery out of your life. It doesn't have to be this way.
If you want to read about the dangerous ways in which laziness can affect you, read up on the book of Proverbs. There are a few main ways that laziness is used to try to devalue your worth:
1. Laziness is a killer
"The lazy person's desire for sleep will kill him because he refuses to work" (International Children's Bible, Proverbs 21:25).
2. Laziness is a hindrance to others
"As vinegar is to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him" (New King James Version, Proverbs 10:26).
3. Laziness makes a person look like a complete fool
"A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again" (New King James Version, Proverbs 19:24).
4. Laziness leaves a person unfulfilled and destitute
"The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing" (New King James Version, Proverbs 20:4)
There's so much more said on this topic and others in Proverbs. Honestly, it's a great book. Hopefully, by now you can understand the danger that laziness really does impose. Stay tuned for more posts about the best ways to overcome laziness and feel free to message me or comment down below about specific areas of life in which you guys are trying to combat laziness.
Diligence is the opposite of laziness and the Bible has nothing but good things to say about the diligent man. Literally everywhere in the Bible attests to the importance of diligence.
1. Diligence magnifies your value and blesses your life and others
"He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich" (New King James Version, Proverbs 10:4).
2. Diligence is a mode of worship
"Do not be lazy but work hard. Serve the Lord with all your heart" ( International Children's Bible, Romans 12:11).
* Amplified Bible says: "never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord;"
3. Diligence is what causes growth and allows you to become better everyday, leading you closer to God and who He has called you to be (this is one of the mission statements of this platform)
5But also for this very reason, 2 Pet. 3:18giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue 2 Pet. 1:2knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness, and Gal. 6:10to brotherly kindness love. Gal. 6:10to brotherly kindness love. 8For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren (John 15:2)nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 15:2)nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he who lacks these things is 1 John 2:9–11shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.1 John 2:9–11shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.10Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent 2 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 3:19to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (New King James Version, II Peter 1:5-11).
4. Diligence is God's command to us. It's a part of His plan.
Just read Genesis to Deuteronomy if you want to see what they had to do for sacred ceremonies in the olden days. We have it easier. Also, all of the Old and New Testament people that we praise today had to listen to God, then respond and obey His words, then work to fulfill His requests. Their roads weren't always easy and required diligence, faith, and constant communication with God; Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Deborah, Joseph, Samuel, King David, Paul, Peter, and Jesus Himself. The list goes on and on.
I hope we are all inspired to live afresh every single day. There is always something to be done and despite what our bodies want to tell us, hard work and diligence is actually fulfilling and worth it. Diligence gives us life, whereas laziness sucks the life from us. Keep in mind that this is in no way a call to never allow yourself to rest, take it easy, or take time to recharge. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us that there is a time for everything. But there is a difference between resting and being lazy. If you start to see the fruits of laziness in your life, destroy those seeds and roots immediately. Your life is way too precious. God wants to meet you in your periods of work and diligence. It is a part of the design He intended for our existence in Him and our relationship to Him.
Make sure to subscribe in the upper right corner if you enjoyed this post and comment down below. I truly want to hear what you guys have to say!
4. Diligence is God's command to us. It's a part of His plan.
Just read Genesis to Deuteronomy if you want to see what they had to do for sacred ceremonies in the olden days. We have it easier. Also, all of the Old and New Testament people that we praise today had to listen to God, then respond and obey His words, then work to fulfill His requests. Their roads weren't always easy and required diligence, faith, and constant communication with God; Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Deborah, Joseph, Samuel, King David, Paul, Peter, and Jesus Himself. The list goes on and on.
I hope we are all inspired to live afresh every single day. There is always something to be done and despite what our bodies want to tell us, hard work and diligence is actually fulfilling and worth it. Diligence gives us life, whereas laziness sucks the life from us. Keep in mind that this is in no way a call to never allow yourself to rest, take it easy, or take time to recharge. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us that there is a time for everything. But there is a difference between resting and being lazy. If you start to see the fruits of laziness in your life, destroy those seeds and roots immediately. Your life is way too precious. God wants to meet you in your periods of work and diligence. It is a part of the design He intended for our existence in Him and our relationship to Him.
Make sure to subscribe in the upper right corner if you enjoyed this post and comment down below. I truly want to hear what you guys have to say!
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