Overcoming Laziness (Study Outline)

Overcoming Laziness with Diligence:

 

To be lazy is to avoid work or discomfort, to waste time on unimportant things, and to move carelessly or slowly.

 

The opposite of laziness is diligence. A diligent person is not lazy. A lazy person is not diligent. 

 

To be diligent is to know what's important, do what's important, and do it to your fullest ability, as you would serve the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24, 1 Corinthians 10:31).

• Important things are things that glorify God. Don't do what doesn't glorify God.

• Diligence is necessary to grow in anything (2 Peter 1:5-10). Conquering laziness is important for everyone!

 

 

Qualities of laziness (you are still lazy if you have any of these qualities on any level):

• You have to be forced or pushed to work or do important things (Proverbs 12:24). Other people have to lead you rather that you leading yourself.

• Any effort you do exert goes to waste because you don't finish what you start(Proverbs 12:27).

• You always run into problems caused by your own neglect or irresponsibility (Proverbs 15:19).

• Time or belongings are destroyed due to neglect or waste (Proverbs 18:9, Proverbs 24:30-34, Ecclesiastes 10:18).

• Even when you get a healthy amount of sleep, you have a hard time getting out of bed, and always want to sleep more (Proverbs 6:9-10, Proverbs 19:15a, 26:14).

  • You make little compromises to get just a little more comfort or ease.

• Any activity you do exert is for meaningless things—it never accomplishes anything of value (Proverbs 26:14). You're busy but not productive.

• You have desires and wants for good things (that can be obtained), but they're not fulfilled (Proverbs 19:15b, Proverbs 13:4, 21:25-26).

• Preparing food, to feed even yourself, seems like too much work for you (Proverbs 19:24, 26:15).

• You strongly dislike laboring or being uncomfortable, so you won't work at something if the circumstances are uncomfortable (Proverbs 20:4, 21:25).

• You make up reasons or excuses for inactivity, many of which are based on worries or fears (Proverbs 22:13, 26:13), or due to an unreasonable desire for perfect conditions (Ecclesiastes 11:4,6). 

• You're wise in your own eyes. You think you're doing just fine and that it's ok if you don't improve (Proverbs 26:16).

• You don't want to increase what you have but are content to keep things at the bare minimum (Matthew 25:24-26).

• You wander around from place to place talking about meaningless things and participate in gossip (1 Timothy 5:13).

• Employers or coworkers don't like your work ethic (Proverbs 10:26).

 

Qualities of diligence (you know that you are diligent, and not lazy, when):

• You don't fear hard work or discomfort (you embrace it) (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

• You read the Word and pray daily, you exercise consistently, and eat healthy, and wake up early (Proverbs 31:13-27).

• You are seen as a leader by others and are respected by all people, regardless of age or status, for how hard you work (Proverbs 31:28-29, Proverbs 12:24).

• You are wealthy—meaning you have an abundance of everything you need and are able to give bountifully to others (Proverbs 10:4, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9:7-8).

• You finish what you start (2 Corinthians 8:11).

• You're energetic in everything you do (Ecclesiastes 9:10, Colossians 1:29, 1 Corinthians 15:10).

• You push for long periods of time without giving up (Hebrews 6:11-12).

 

The Works of Diligent and Urgent People. These kinds of people...

• Work hard without slowing down—working with energy, consistency, and patience (Hebrews 6:11-12, Galatians 6:9).

• Always bring gain/profit from what they do, letting no activity turn to waste (Proverbs 14:23, 21:5)

• Make the most of available time through planning; they plan so they can do more in less time or quickly (Ephesians 5:15-16, Psalm 90:12, Proverbs 21:5, 2 Timothy 4:9).

• Take initiative to do good, and lead their own lives well, without needing others to push them (2 Corinthians 8:16-17, Proverbs 6:6-8).

• Seek to abound and excel in all areas of life, not letting any aspect of life show slackness (2 Corinthians 8:7-8).

• Do whatever is before them with all their hearts, serving as unto of Christ and representative of the kingdom (Colossians 3:23-24).

• Allow no delay or slackness in what they do. When they have a chance to accomplish a needed task, they don’t hesitate (Hebrews 10:36-38, Proverbs 10:4).

• Act so that possible good can be accomplished sooner, rather than later (Hebrews 13:19).

• Understand that time is short, and so move swiftly, awaking from laziness (Romans 13:11).

 

 

The Pace of Diligent Work (Urgency):

• Rebekah - Genesis 24:16-20 - Rebekah served Abraham’s servant with haste, promptly, or hurriedly. This showed her readiness to serve.

• Joshua - Joshua 18:2-3 - Joshua here implores the people not to slack off in taking possession of the land given to them in Canaan. It’s easy once we’re in the kingdom of heaven to slack in terms of fully obtaining everything won for us. The Israelites did this, neglecting to put the work into possessing the land that God promised to them. Being diligent in pace means not ever relaxing the effort to acquire everything Christ made available to us. In other words, never settle for any certain amount of the Christian experience. Pursue everything promised to its full boundary. 

• David - Psalm 119:57-60 - Here the psalmist speaks, after having said that he would keep God’s commands, of performing the commands with haste. Do not delay to obey the Word!

• Jesus - Mark 1:12, 1:21, 1:35-39 - Jesus ministry is marked by swiftness and urgency. Jesus always began the next work immediately after the other, and He did not take days for a break. After finishing work in one city of Galilee, He arose early in the morning, prayed, and then immediately had His disciples follow Him in travel to the next city. This is urgency and good pace. Jesus did not take “vacation” days during His travels or works either. Everywhere was an opportunity to work for the kingdom.

• Paul - Acts 16:10 - After being given direction from the Spirit, Paul and his companions moved immediately to begin the work. There was no delay. We also see this in Jesus’ ministry. If you have direction, act. Do not wait or delay for any reason unless necessary. 

• Paul - 1 Corinthians 9:24 - Here we’re told to run like we want to win a race. This requires being the fastest, but speed is something that is built through training. The ability to sustain progressively harder work is something that must be developed over time, with commitment. However, we should make it our goal in everything we do, to increase our sustainable pace to that of a 1st place runner—to be the best, the fastest, the strongest. This requires pushing the body beyond its limits. So, when you work, if you’re going to grow, you must each time push a little harder!

• Peter - 2 Peter 1:5 - In order to grow in the faith and come to the place where we are cleansed of all sin and blameless in our lives, we must give “all diligence”. This Greek word is “spoude” (spoo-day), which means to use speed, eagerness, or haste. Diligence itself is a word of attitude that refers to one’s eagerness to finish a task. One who is eager will want to move quickly, but they’re yet patient with the results of their actions as they come in their proper time. Your job is to be eager; God’s job is to bring the outcome as He pleases. 

• Peter - 2 Peter 3:12 - We’re to live with haste unto the coming of the day of God. Christ says He is coming quickly, so that means we also should move quickly. We must be urgent in our matters to accomplish as much as possible in a day, that there may be no waste and maximum fruit from our efforts. Move with haste! In other words, move as if you don’t have much time to finish, as you won’t get the desired results unless you move fast. 

 

 

Conclusive Summary about Diligence and Urgency:

 

1. Diligence means doing everything that you do excellently, as though serving the Son and representing the kingdom of God.

2. Urgency means doing as much as you can, considering that there is little time left.

3. Diligence and urgency combined means rising early in the morning, planning and scheduling so you can accomplish as much as you can in a day, and lastly, doing everything to your fullest ability.