Defeating Sloth
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!...How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?"-Proverbs 6:6,9
Sloth is the reluctance to work or make an effort. Slothful people constantly hit the snooze button and never wake up to their full potential. Slothfulness is perpetual procrastination.
The Slothful person is quick to give excuses and never owns up to their responsibilities. Oftentimes, when we think of sin, we think of actions that we should not be doing, but we also sin when we do not do the right thing. Sloth prevents us from doing the right thing.
The book of Proverbs says that we should look to the ant for some guidance in being productive. Though I admit ants are nasty, they are fascinating creatures. What makes them interesting is not the fact they are as old as the dinosaurs, or that there are over a quadrillion of them all across the globe, or the fact they can carry at least three times their weight, or that they are constantly on the move. What makes the ants special is the fact that they have a hive mind. Ants see themselves not as radical individuals but rather as coworkers within a colony. The queen ant is the boss of the colony and each ant knows their role and gets to work. Ants know that if they do not work, it will not only affect their own survival but the survival of the entire community.
When we become Christians, life begins to take on an eternal significance. When we trust Jesus as Lord, we begin to understand him as the boss of our lives and that we each have a purpose in serving His church. When we allow the sin of sloth to take root in our souls, not only will we hurt our spiritual walk, but it will hurt the greater community. When we allow the sin of sloth to take root in our souls, not only will we hurt our spiritual walk, but it will hurt the greater community.
If one is slothful, they first must admit that there is a problem. The second step is to figure out what is underneath the slothful behavior. Sloth is a symptom of a deeper issue. Another proverb says, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Proverbs 13:4). The question we need to be asking ourselves is what is preventing my soul from being diligent? Is your diet poor and you need to get physically fit? Is there some hurt in your soul and you need a good therapist? Or have you believed the lie that your life has no meaning, therefore what is the point of working? Whatever the root cause of one’s sloth, it must be unearthed, uprooted, and replaced with an understanding of your God-given purpose.
Sloth may manifest for many reasons, but regardless of the reason, know that Jesus loves you and that the Holy Spirit wants to help you remove sloth in your life by finding your passion and purpose. My friend, you have been created by our Heavenly Father, who loves you and has made you for a reason. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and you will find your passion and He will help you make this world a better place. ”Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11).