Waiting vs. Laziness
October 17th, 2022
Ephesians 5:15-17: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
It is easy for me to be lazy.
It’s almost scary how I can sleep till 10 and sit on the couch all day, only to be in bed by 10 that night, accomplishing nothing.
I often feel I’ve wasted the day and not made the most of my time.
Don’t get me wrong, sometimes we need to rest, which is okay. But I think there is a difference between a day of rest and a season of laziness.
Due to a period of burnout and not handling stress well, I gave up on trying to figure things out for a while.
I convinced myself and others that I was just in a period of waiting to hear from God.
If I’m being honest, I really wasn’t.
I wasn’t pursuing God or other opportunities. I was bummed out over my expectations for my future not working out, and I was just at a standstill.
I was being lazy, wasting day after day just hoping something would magically happen.
The truth was I wasn’t walking carefully. I was drifting.
Drifting is the last thing I want to do. I want to walk through life with a purpose. My purpose as a Christian is to follow God and trust His will.
In seasons of waiting, I know it’s important to be purposeful towards time with God. It’s also crucial to be intentional with relationships and work time.
We go through seasons of waiting and times of rest. It is vital to wait with a purpose.
Don’t allow yourself to become untethered from God and those around you.
But how?
Honestly, I am working through this too. How do I find a balance between busy and lazy?
How do I limit distractions to focus on what’s important and make the most of my time?
I’m no expert, but I have found some answers through God’s word.
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Busy vs. Lazy: Work hard in what you do to honor God and his kingdom. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed with work or your life, don’t just give up, withdraw and finish poorly. Lay your burdens before God. Allow him to help you reprioritize and shape how you work. Maybe it means leaving a stressful job, or it just means taking time to rest and recharge. Whatever it may be, allow God to work with you so you can live according to His purpose for your life.
Luke 10:41-42 TPT “Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all of these distractions? Are they really that important? Mary has discovered the most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted.”
Living Undistracted: I have to work hard at discipline. Whether it’s my screen time, sweet tooth or workout schedule, it takes a lot of motivation from God and those around me to stay on track. In Matthew 10, Martha does all she can to get the household in top shape for Jesus. On the other hand, Mary dwells in the moment, taking in Jesus’ every word. We may deal with distractions differently. I have to set boundaries. Facebook and Instagram have time limits or get deleted off my phone every once in a while. I can’t just sit alone with a jar of peanut butter or a sleeve of gluten-free Oreos. I can’t even have Tik Tok on my phone. My limits may be extreme, and I hope to be able to be more disciplined someday rather than just avoid everything. But for now, it’s what I need to do to be more intentional. Take some time to pause and ask God what you need to do to limit distractions in your life.
Galatians 6:9-10: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Don’t give up. When God takes His time to answer, you have wasted a day, or if you give in to temptation when things get complicated, don’t give up on God or your goals. We are imperfect sinners. We are going to mess up, and we are going to fail. But God’s plan and purpose will prevail if you continue to trust in Him.
These are not perfect answers, and these answers may not work for everyone.
Some situations require professional help and guidance to help us work through them. However, I base my advice on the truth I’ve found in God, and even a tiny piece of it may also be helpful to you.
Trust Him in whatever you’re facing.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” -Colossians 3:23-24
Don’t work to prove anything to those around you. Work to glorify and honor God.
Work towards something, even if you are waiting to hear from Him. Move forward with patience and purpose.
Make the most of the time you have.
