“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.” – Proverbs 6:6-11 NLT
Laziness, sometimes called sloth, is something the Bible tells us to avoid. The Bible speaks of it as leading to poverty and to hunger. Yet if we’re honest, all of us can fall into patterns of laziness, procrastination, or giving in to various distractions. In the era of social media and endless scrolling on our screens, we have all been guilty of wasting precious time in lazy and meaningless ways.
Here are 3 ways to establish greater discipline and overcome laziness.
1. Make sure you’re strong in your relationship with Jesus, believe in Him as Lord, and honor Him as your Messiah.
This first step is crucial, because through faith in Christ we receive the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who works in us to develop and deepen our self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Self-control is the foundation of personal discipline; we can only change our habits when we are exercising control over ourselves. If we don’t exercise that control, our flesh will do it for us and lead us into temptation and laziness.
2. Find accountability partners.
We are not meant to live this life alone. We need community and support from friends and family. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (NLT). When trying to get into new habits, it’s helpful to have a friend who can hold you accountable.
Take for example a desire to get fit and lose weight by going for a jog every morning. Your success rate will be so much higher if you have a friend who goes on the jog with you. The two of you will encourage each other to follow through and really get it done. If you’re trying to increase your time in prayer, it’s helpful to have a prayer partner to meet up with, who can encourage you and strengthen you. No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, it’s good to do it with an accountability partner.
3. Surround yourself with reminders of what you want to accomplish.
The Jewish people were commanded to pray the prayer found in Deuteronomy 6:4 twice daily—in the morning and in the evening. They were to intentionally draw their minds to God by declaring Him their Lord twice a day. This was to instill a rhythm of remembrance in their personal minds and collective culture.
We can adopt similar methods for helping us accomplish our personal goals and overcoming patterns of procrastination and laziness. Set reminders on your phone to work on your current goals and projects, or put sticky note reminders on your mirrors. These constant reminders of your goals will help you to follow through.
Ultimately, the most important thing is to ask God to give you the strength, courage, and opportunity to get out of patterns of laziness and into new rhythms. God is faithful, and He will help you. He is our strength when we are weak, He is our help in times of trouble, and He is the only One able to truly instill in us perfect discipline.
A Prayer for Overcoming Laziness
Mighty God, help me to avoid laziness. Move in my heart and mind to develop in me greater measures of discipline and self-control. I want to be useful, so that through my efforts You might be glorified. I want to be Your hands and feet to this world, and so I need energy and endurance. Grant it this day, I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
