Laziness, called as sloth or lethargy is a malady that has been plaguing people for ages without them even realising it. While many don’t consider it seriously, dismissing its adverse effects on a person rather nonchalantly, the Church noted its detrimental nature, categorizing it as one of the seven deadly sins. Does the Bible talk about laziness? Yes, at length. In fact, rejecting and overcoming laziness is an important prerequisite to finding God. The Bible says, “Those who seek me early shall find me” (KJV).
King David, the man after God’s Own Heart, extensively about crying out to the LORD in the early morning in his Psalms. Even Jesus, God in Flesh, was an early riser during His sojourn on this earth.“Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35)”. This indicates that waking up early is something indispensable in order to solidify one’s relationship with God. The wisest man ever to live on planet earth, Solomon, wrote of the sluggard. He wrote thus: The sluggard makes absurd excuses to avoid work, saying things like, “There is a lion in the road!”.The sluggard loves sleep and stays in bed, turning “on his hinges” like a door, and is slow to rise. So, Solomon basically says that the lazy person gives excuses justifying his lifestyle and he also says this will lead to poverty.
SEEK THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Now that we have laid down the dangers of lethargy, let’s explore how to overcome it and keep laziness at bay. By the help of the Evergreen Friend and the Third Member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, laziness can be overcome. While this might come off as a cliché, it holds so true. Though the Holy Spirit is the Third Member of the Trinity it doesn’t in any way diminish His stature in the Trinity. He is as much God as God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is our ever reliable hope in these last days. He is not just a Force or a Spirit, He is a Person. He will help in discarding laziness. Ask Him to do the needful, and though the process might be gradual it will nonetheless be fruitful.
GO TO BED EARLY AND WAKE UP EARLY:
Some practical ways to rid oneself of Sloth is by going to bed early and waking up early. Going to bed at around 10:30 at night and waking up at 5 or 5:30 AM could be ideal as doctors recommend 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily.
SOME DO’S AND DON’TS:
Avoid screen time(using phone, computer or TV) a few hours before going to bed, as its bright light hinders sleep. In the morning, it will be a tough battle wrestling with the blanket and getting up, but with prayer, determination, and commitment, it is possible. It is a gradual process that requires patience. But remember, with persistence it can be done quite easily. Set an Alarm daily. Don’t forget to wash your face as soon as you get up early in the morning. Do sing some worship songs. Do read your Bible and exercise your spiritual muscle. Also, do bodily exercise to keep yourself fit and to ward off dullness. This is not an exhaustive list, but this can be enough to keep lethargy at bay. May the good Lord help us to be active, rejoice in Him and make us a living testimony! Shalom.
