Sloth {Guest Post by Chelsea}

Hey Ladies, As my house and life are still a little chaotic....

I am leaving you with a couple of AMAZING guest posters this week.

Enjoy! And I will be back up and running this weekend hopefully.

Much Love,

L

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My students and I have been studying through Seven Daily Sins by Jared C Wilson in our Bible study. It has been quite a convicting and insightful journey!

One thing that really struck me was when we studied Sloth. 

No, not that sloth! Funny though, yes?
(if you haven't watched this video, watch it pronto and try not to laugh so hard you cry.)

Sloth is a sin that mirrors the inactivity of sloths.
Sloth is laziness to the point of apathy. 


As we studied this, I began really meditating on the difference between rest and sloth. Rest is good, refreshing and a commandment! Sloth is a practice that leads us away from our purpose. It's not just leaving the dishes in the sink for the next day. It's not just skipping your workout jog for a nap. Sloth is an attitude behind our actions that refuses to care about the work for which we're responsible.

Scripture warns against sloth over and over again. It's nearly impossible to flip through the Proverbs without coming across such a verse.


Proverbs 18:9
"A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things."

Proverbs 10:26

²⁶ "As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him."

Proverbs 15:19

¹⁹ "The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway."

It is apparent that God created us all with a specific purpose, to do specific work- to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, to demonstrate the love of the Father to those around us in whichever ways we are gifted. 

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

As we embrace our purpose, putting God's desires for our lives above our own desires, we must remember the important of rest. Rest is not solely physical. While sleep is vital for our health, God desires that we spiritually rest in Him. Beyond the adequate eight hours of sleep per night (ha!) we have a deeper need for finding our rest, solace, peace in the Lord. 

Here are some practical ways that I remember to avoid sloth and embrace rest.

Avoid sloth:

- set a consistent schedule for waking and sleeping

- plan a daily time to spend alone with the Lord

- attitude check- think of chores or undesirable tasks as "working for the Lord"

- create a list of things to do for the day and carry over for the week as needed

Embrace Rest:

- set a consistent schedule for waking and sleeping

- plan a daily time to spend alone with the Lord

- Practice Sabbath- set aside one day a week not to do any work. Since my Sundays are pretty hectic I usually set aside Thursdays.

- Outside from regular quiet time practice meditation on the scripture, solitude, and attend at least one church service/small group that I am not teaching.

{You can read more from Chelsea over on here blog: Taste and See}

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