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Did you know that it’s possible to get stuck in laziness?
I’ve noticed that laziness begets laziness. In other words, the longer a person stays in lazy mode, just getting by, doing only what they absolutely have to do, never pursuing a dream or a vision, that person is more and more stuck. It’s harder and harder to get out of lazy mode the longer you stay there.
I think that’s because laziness becomes the norm; you don’t ask anything more of yourself; you don’t even question your lack of ambition or drive. But do you know how God views laziness?
When Jesus told the parable of the talents, as found in Matthew 25, the one servant who was lazy and did not use his talent for good, but hid it, that servant was sharply reprimanded. The master called him a wicked, lazy servant. Laziness was not treated as some harmless state, but rather as a wicked, sinful lifestyle.
How do you know if you’re stuck in laziness? I think one sign is that you make excuses for yourself—why you don’t get involved in things, why you can’t go here or do that. You’ve convinced yourself that you have good excuses for being lazy.
I’ve watched a friend of mine going through intensive chemo treatment in the last year. She has had very legitimate excuses for just bowing out of everything and doing nothing. But not her. Throughout these months when chemo has depleted her strength, she has never once used it as an excuse, and she has simply continued, as much as possible, to be involved as always, serving others and caring about others.
Laziness is for the most part a choice we make, and therefore it is our choice to get out of that lazy mode and get unstuck! Believe me, the abundant life that Jesus came to give us is anything but lazy, and that servant attitude brings the joy of the Lord, and his joy becomes our strength. If you’ve been stuck in laziness, I pray you’ll get serious about asking God for forgiveness and move forward to the good things God has for you.
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