Sloth

I've been meaning to write this post on the next deadly sin for a while....but I've been too lazy to do it. Seriously, I'm lazy. Sloth is probably the deadly sin that I struggle with the most. I like my comfort zones, and when I'm within them, I want to stay there. I don't want to be challenged. I don't want to have to work hard. I want to just ask the question, "What is the least I can do and survive?" Sometimes I'm so lazy that I want to go out and buy products like this...



So, what is this sin of sloth, and what is so wrong with it? Laziness comes in two forms. First of all, laziness is not wanting to do anything...just sitting around like a lump all day, doing nothing. The second form of laziness is doing what you want to do instead of doing what you should do.

Why is laziness a sin? It is a sin on a number of different levels. First of all, God has given us specific gifts and talents. He wants us to work hard and to put to use those gifts and talents. Laziness prevents us from using those gifts.

God also wants us to help others. He wants us to get outside of our comfort zones and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless. He wants us to reach out to those who are suffering physically and emotionally. Laziness prevents us from doing this.

Finally, God wants us to pray, to grow spiritually. But many of us don't. We don't take the time each day to thank God for the gifts He has given us. We don't ask Him for guidance in our lives. Spiritual laziness, this spiritual indifference, I believe, is the root cause for laziness in all other aspects in our lives. It festers and grows and permeates our whole being. Without a disciplined spiritual life, we cannot know God's will for our lives. We have no direction without prayer. Without any direction, without knowing what God wants us to do, then we all have a tendency to do nothing, and that breeds laziness.

I've seen this in my own life. When I set goals for me in my life, when I try to be disciplined in my spiritual life, I tend to be more disciplined in my work life and in my family life. However, my life is like a yo-yo. I can go weeks, even months at a time where I am spiritually disciplined. Life is good during those times. I get a lot more accomplished at work, I get a lot more accomplished at home. I am, overall, a happier person.

The problem, however, is that I can never get that discipline to last. Eventually, my natural inclination to laziness begins to set in. And once it takes over, I'm dead. I'm unfocused at work and at home. I lose my sense of purpose in life. I lose my passion, my ambition.

My whole life, our whole lives, hinge on our spiritual lives. If we have no passion our faith, if we have no discipline, no zeal for our spiritual lives, then we will have no discipline or zeal in other areas of our lives either.

So, what is the antidote? Diligence. If you struggle with laziness like I do, be diligent! Realize that the only way you can overcome your struggle with laziness is to be focused and disciplined in your spiritual life.

In the bible, no one interacts with God without being given a mission---without being sent out into the world with a job to do. We have all been made with a definite purpose, a goal that God has created for us. Only you can carry out the goal God has created for you. Discern your mission. Pray. Ask God what you can do for Him. Read the scriptures. Go to Mass. There are 168 hours in a week. If you can't give God 1 hour to go to Mass, then you will never overcome laziness.