For those struggling with laziness

While it is good to have a strong work ethic, you also NEED REST!!! We are human beings, not machines, and even machines break down, thus requiring maintenance. The Sabbath was made as a day of rest, not just worship. I do not nor will ever know what pregnancy is like, but it looks difficult, especially the grand finale after nine months. DO NOT OVER-STRESS YOURSELF!!!

Do NOT let anyone shame you into not thinking you are not good enough because of a flaw you have. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:9-23). Keep in mind you are carrying a new human life inside you. You are NOT doing him/her any favours by neglecting your own health.

Below is a Psalm showing God's grace. Cattle would have been a VERY EXPENSIVE sacrifice to make to Him. However, God is more pleased with worship and gratitude than sacrifice. He KNOWS you inside and out, what you need, how you feel, EVERYTHING!!!

29 I am sad and hurting.
God, save me and protect me.

30 I will praise God in a song.
I will honor him by giving thanks.
31 That will please the Lord more than offering him cattle.
It will please him more than the sacrifice of a bull with horns and hooves.
32 People who are not proud will see this and be glad.
Be encouraged, you who worship God.
33 The Lord listens to those in need.
He does not look down on captives.

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~Psalms 69:29-33 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - New King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - New International Version
Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - International Children’s Bible

I strongly recommend reading, studying, and KNOWING Scripture on a daily basis. Having an over-dependence on someone else to do so for you carries an outrageously high level of risk. I made this same mistake years ago and almost destroyed my physical, mental, financial, and spiritual health in doing so. I was putting more stock in the Protestant Work Ethic than in God's love and mercy. God desires mercy, not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6, Matthew 9:9-13). God's grace is boundless, and we are saved by faith, NOT works (Link to another post explaining this, as I understand it)!

1 I may speak in different languages of men or even angels. But if I do not have love, then I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal. 2 I may have the gift of prophecy; I may understand all the secret things of God and all knowledge; and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. 3 I may give everything I have to feed the poor. And I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing these things if I do not have love.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. 5 Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not become angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. 6 Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices over the truth. 7 Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always continues strong.

8 Love never ends. There are gifts of prophecy, but they will be ended. There are gifts of speaking in different languages, but those gifts will end. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will be ended. 9 These things will end, because this knowledge and these prophecies we have are not complete. 10 But when perfection comes, the things that are not complete will end. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child; I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. 12 It is the same with us. Now we see as if we are looking into a dark mirror. But at that time, in the future, we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part. But at that time I will know fully, as God has known me. 13 So these three things continue forever: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.

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~1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 13 - King James Version
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Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 13 - International Children’s Bible

^ The second last bolded and underlined part, as I see it, we all look at things through selfish lenses. We look at ourselves instead of the whole picture, through muddled viewpoints. The quality of mirrors back then were nowhere near the quality we have today.[1][2]

19 The result of sin’s control in our lives is clear. It includes sexual immorality, impurity and wild living, 20 worshiping false gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, 21 having envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not be in God’s kingdom. 22 But the Spirit gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. 25 We get our new life from the Spirit. So we should follow the Spirit. 26 We must not be proud. We must not make trouble with each other. And we must not be jealous of each other.

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~Galatians 5:19-26 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 5 - King James Version
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Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 5 - New International Version
Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 5 - International Children’s Bible

^ Focus on the Fruit of the Spirit, which is SO MUCH MORE than a strong work ethic. It is how you treat others, how well you love others as yourself in your daily life.

The Ten Commandments
1 Then God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt where you were slaves.

3 “You must not have any other gods except me.

4 “You must not make for yourselves any idols. Don’t make something that looks like anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the water below the land. 5 You must not worship or serve any idol. This is because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. A person may sin against me and hate me. I will punish his children, even his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 6 But I will be very kind to thousands who love me and obey my commands.

7 “You must not use the name of the Lord your God thoughtlessly. The Lord will punish anyone who is guilty and misuses his name.

8 “Remember to keep the Sabbath as a holy day. 9 You may work and get everything done during six days each week. 10 But the seventh day is a day of rest to honor the Lord your God. On that day no one may do any work: not you, your son or daughter, or your men or women slaves. Neither your animals nor the foreigners living in your cities may work. 11 The reason is that in six days the Lord made everything. He made the sky, earth, sea and everything in them. And on the seventh day, he rested. So the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother. Then you will live a long time in the land. The Lord your God is going to give you this land.

13 “You must not murder anyone.

14 “You must not be guilty of adultery.

15 “You must not steal.

16 “You must not tell lies about your neighbor in court.

17 “You must not want to take your neighbor’s house. You must not want his wife or his men or women slaves. You must not want his ox or his donkey. You must not want to take anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

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~Exodus 20:1-17 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 20 - King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 20 - New King James Version
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Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 20 - International Children’s Bible

^ The Ten Commandments...
V ...And what it all boils down to.

Loving Others
8 Do not owe people anything. But you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has obeyed all the law. 9 The law says, “You must not be guilty of adultery. You must not murder anyone. You must not steal. You must not want to take your neighbor’s things.” All these commands and all others are really only one rule: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 10 Love never hurts a neighbor. So loving is obeying all the law.

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~Romans 13:8-10 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 13 - King James Version
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Bible Gateway passage: Romans 13 - New International Version
Bible Gateway passage: Romans 13 - International Children’s Bible

God bless!

1. When and where was the first mirror invented? - Ancient mirrors
2. The History of Mirror: Through A Glass, Darkly - Bienenstock Furniture Library

On May 22, 2021, at roughly 10:15 PM, I have corrected a typo. My apologies, I am still learning because I am a flawed human being who is predisposed towards selfishness.

tryphena rose said:

I wanted to share this video with you all. This really convicted my heart today.

I'm 5 months into my first pregnancy and between not feeling well and dealing with fatigue, I've grown very sedentary the last few months. Now that I'm starting to feel better, I find I just hardly want to get up and am even neglecting my own duties as a wife while my husband is off hard at work everyday. The convictions have come by realizing how God feels about those who are sluggish and not diligent. One of the hard-hitting points this sister makes in this video is that there are more scriptures pertaining to laziness being a bad thing then being a drunkard. We all know being drunk is bad but how many of us Christians who do not drink succumb to our lazy desires? No condemnation in that statement as I would be a hypocrite in saying so. But it really got me thinking and touched my heart. I want to be better and do right in the eyes of the Lord.

May this help anyone with the same struggles and may the Lord bless you today.

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JS: I agree with Rene, being pregnant is extremely wearing, so keep this in mind, and even the Word tells us we are to rest one day out of seven in remembrance of the Creation. Pregnant women need even more.

Still you are correct sloth is bad, yet fitting times of rest into ones work is good. Balance is really what we need and struggle to find.

Reading @Joyous Song 's post also reminded me of this Bible passage:

There Is a Time for Everything
1 There is a right time for everything.
Everything on earth has its special season.
2 There is a time to be born
and a time to die.
There is a time to plant
and a time to pull up plants.
3 There is a time to kill
and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy
and a time to build.
4 There is a time to cry
and a time to laugh.
There is a time to be sad
and a time to dance.
5 There is a time to throw away stones
and a time to gather them.
There is a time to hug
and a time not to hug.
6 There is a time to look for something
and a time to stop looking for it.
There is a time to keep things
and a time to throw things away.
7 There is a time to tear apart
and a time to sew together.
There is a time to be silent
and a time to speak.
8 There is a time to love
and a time to hate.
There is a time for war
and a time for peace.

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~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Ecclesiastes 3 - King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Ecclesiastes 3 - New King James Version
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Bible Gateway passage: Ecclesiastes 3 - International Children’s Bible

You are pregnant. There is a time and place for everything, and this is now the time to REST!!!

God bless!

Another gem of a Bible passage God put on my heart is this:

Jesus Offers Rest to People
25 Then Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I praise you because you have hidden these things from the people who are wise and smart. But you have shown them to those who are like little children. 26 Yes, Father, this is what you really wanted.

27 “My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son—only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father—only the Son knows the Father. And the only people who will know about the Father are those whom the Son chooses to tell.

28 “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls. 30 The work that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is not heavy.”

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~Matthew 11:25-30 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 11 - King James Version
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Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 11 - New International Version
Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 11 - International Children’s Bible

This came to me through a video titled, You're Not the Boss of Me - Part 1 |"From the Heart," by Your Move with Andy Stanley on YouTube. My mentor recommended me this channel, and is the first video I am currently watching for Sundays.

God bless!

tryphena rose said:

I wanted to share this video with you all. This really convicted my heart today.

I'm 5 months into my first pregnancy and between not feeling well and dealing with fatigue, I've grown very sedentary the last few months. Now that I'm starting to feel better, I find I just hardly want to get up and am even neglecting my own duties as a wife while my husband is off hard at work everyday. The convictions have come by realizing how God feels about those who are sluggish and not diligent. One of the hard-hitting points this sister makes in this video is that there are more scriptures pertaining to laziness being a bad thing then being a drunkard. We all know being drunk is bad but how many of us Christians who do not drink succumb to our lazy desires? No condemnation in that statement as I would be a hypocrite in saying so. But it really got me thinking and touched my heart. I want to be better and do right in the eyes of the Lord.

May this help anyone with the same struggles and may the Lord bless you today.

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Dear one,
It is good to know that you are diligent to share with those who are struggling with laziness with this message about diligence, despite you are pregnant now.

I have watched the video. It takes courage to present yourself before others for God’s sake. I found that she walked in obedience, knowing that she has to believe in diligence despite her past habits. It is good to know that she opened herself to the teaching of diligence and mend her ways that she may be found in God’s purpose. Above all, relying on God’s grace to strengthen her, that she may do things diligently in accord with God’s words.

About your conviction as wife, just pray, that the Lord will supply with wisdom and understanding on what you could have done then while you are pregnant.

Sure, you can be diligent while pregnant. Pray diligently for the child that you bear. Be diligent to rejoice in union with the Lord. When the child separates from your womb, ask for the child to be called in His grace and that God would reveal His son in your child— that the child grow to be a witness that please Him.

Yes, dear one, continue diligently how you may exhort others in accord with God’s words. May God’s grace be with your spirit.

Remember God rewards those who diligently seek after Him.

tryphena rose said:

This is really wonderful advice and filled with much wisdom, thank you so much santoso!

And thank you as well @Rene Loup and @Joyous Song for the Godly advice. Yes, there is a time and a season for all things and I suppose in my case a time of rest is more understandable. I know I shouldn't be too hard on myself, but I also wanted to touch upon a general sin that I feel doesn't get touched upon enough.

As a child I was very slothful and these tendencies have followed me into my adulthood. I also had several influences in my family who I grew up around and they led sedentary lifestyles. I recognize I need to really rely on God in this area of my life, as I'm sure every believer feels when convicted of things that may not be pleasing to the Lord.

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Dear one,
This is what we have heard:
Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually! -Psalms 105:4

Why?
May the LORD give strength to His people! May the LORD bless His people with peace! -Psalms 29:11

How then, the Lord strengthens ?
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, -2 Timothy 2:1

God strengthen us by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

This is the grace that we heard that strengthen us:
"These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. -John 14:25
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. -John 14:26

So what is our Lord have said ? This is what we heard from apostle Paul:

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. -Galatians 1:11
For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. -Galatians 1:12

What have apostle received by the revelation of Jesus Christ?

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. -Romans 8:26

Didn’t our Lord know our weakness ? May it be slothful or other tendencies, our Lord knew. That is why our Lord in His grace, He spoke to us that He will send the Helper, the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness.

How we should do then, that we may obey the truth ? This is what we have heard:

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

So what we need to do, is to purify our souls ( minds/emotions/will ) in obedience the truth through the Holy Spirit.

How exactly? This is what we have heard:
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. -Romans 8:5

So when we offer our MINDS to the things of the Spirit, that is, our MINDS set on the Spirit of His words. The Spirit of His words will purify our souls, enabling us or strengthening us in obedience to the truth in the manner of love that we serve one another in Christ.

In other words, the Spirit of His words, that is, the Holy Spirit purify our MINDS, strengthening us to be diligent in obedience to the truth, in order that in union with Christ, we serve diligently one another by faith working through love of Christ.

True, we were sinners who were convicted by His grace of repentance, that we may be purified to serve the living God.

Thanks for sharing this video!

tryphena rose said:

I wanted to share this video with you all. This really convicted my heart today.

I'm 5 months into my first pregnancy and between not feeling well and dealing with fatigue, I've grown very sedentary the last few months. Now that I'm starting to feel better, I find I just hardly want to get up and am even neglecting my own duties as a wife while my husband is off hard at work everyday. The convictions have come by realizing how God feels about those who are sluggish and not diligent. One of the hard-hitting points this sister makes in this video is that there are more scriptures pertaining to laziness being a bad thing then being a drunkard. We all know being drunk is bad but how many of us Christians who do not drink succumb to our lazy desires? No condemnation in that statement as I would be a hypocrite in saying so. But it really got me thinking and touched my heart. I want to be better and do right in the eyes of the Lord.

May this help anyone with the same struggles and may the Lord bless you today.

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Hi
You are not lazy if afflicted with illness and fatigue, early pregnancy does that to you. Do not be too hard on yourself.
Take steps. Go to bed early, rise early. Make a list each night of tasks to do next day. Be realistic, prepared and focussed. Self discipline brings happiness. A proper routine daily and weekly brings structure.
I find reading the Bible first thing and last thing is so good. Even just a short amount.

I hope you find your way and have a healthy happy baby. You must nurture yourself and take care of your husband without tiring yourself too much.