“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” — Proverbs 24:33 - 34 NIV
What is an unnoticed lazy attitude? It’s an attitude of constantly postponing what has to be done today for tomorrow based on no justifiable reason, usually without seeing the effect. There are many people like that. They keep skipping the work they have to do today because of vain reasons like “I am tired,” “I just can’t do it,” and “I don’t have time.” The list goes on and on.
Excuses are the number one enemy to effectual productivity. What you give excuses for not doing today may worsen in the future. Look at what Solomon said in Proverbs 24:33-34.
He started in verse 30 by describing his discovery of how a sluggard’s vineyard had gotten full of thorns and weeds. That person wasn’t intentional about keeping his vineyard neat. Then in verses 33-34, the preacher concluded that poverty comes on people who always have intermittent little sleep, slumber and folding of the arms to rest. I believe this goes far beyond physical work to include prayer and investment in our relationship with God.
God may have told you to pray at 6 am each day, but you snooze or dismiss your alarm anytime it rings. You may never know why God told you to pray at that time. Maybe He’s counting on your prayer to settle an issue that may happen to you six years ahead. The same applies to Bible study. You may never know how your knowledge of scripture can help save one unbeliever with questions about Jesus on a mission field.
Can we stop trivialising the things God tells us to do? Can we stop disbanding the followership of effective spiritual systems in Christ, both personally and organizationally, merely because of our selfish choices?
Watch your life closely. Check your attitude. What are you doing that’s creating an atmosphere of laziness in any area of your life? It could be excessive sleeping, overworking, or lack of prayer. Check it and solve it by applying God’s wisdom from the Word.
You’re a blessing.
Prayer
Oh God, help me to recognise any unnoticed lazy attitude in my life that’s causing me not to grow in spiritual understanding in any area of my life. So that through Your supplication of grace and divine wisdom, I would be able to resolve those issues. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD // 2022 – 313