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Never Idle: Keeping Yourself Active No Matter The Time

Never be idle!

It’s a universal belief that being unproductive is bad. If you ask most people if it is good or bad to be lethargic and inactive, most of them would say it is bad. I believe God has wired it into people to be productive. And no matter what our circumstances, we should be productive. Productivity is good for your life’s progress, emotional life, spiritual health, and your mental health. So, if you want to learn how to never be idle, keep reading.

Finding Productivity Purposeful

First of all, when it comes to being productive, you must realize something. God values productivity. He likes it when His children do what He wants us to do. And He likes it when His children are not lazy and never idle.

Proverbs 10:4 World English Bible (WEB)
4 He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
    but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

God out of His wisdom advised us to not be lazy. Laziness is a major reason why some people are stuck in poverty, they refuse to change their ways and they don’t want to do anything with their God-given hands.

Now, I myself, have a confession to make. I have not always been productive. In fact, I find it very easy to waste a day and to not get anything done. But, I made it up in my mind not too long ago that I should be productive for the Kingdom of God and never be idle. And if you have already been a lazy person and you know it in your heart, make a decision to be the person with a diligent hand because no matter how much you want something whether it be financial freedom or academic excellence, God wants you to put in some work into it.

Don’t be a sluggard for your own sake!

Proverbs 21:25 World English Bible (WEB)
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,
    for his hands refuse to labor.

God always gives you a decision and I don’t care if you’re reading this as a high school student or if you’re in your seventies, God can enable you to be productive. God called Samuel to be His prophet when he was around twelve years old, but at the same time, God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt when he was eighty years old, so, age is not a limitation when God calls you to do something.

Exodus 7:7 World English Bible (WEB)
7 Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Recognizing What God’s Given You

First off, you must start your day right. If you start your day without God, it is very hard to remember Him for the rest of the day. Furthermore, how you spend time with God at the start of the day is up to you and God. You can read the Bible followed by some prayer. Or you could start off the day with a moment of worship.

Spend time with God in whatever way possible

Whatever it is, start your day by doing something with Him.

Psalm 90:14 World English Bible (WEB)
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

When we are satisfied through time with God in the morning, it makes it easy to be glad all our days. Moreover, if you don’t have time, make some time. If it means that you have to wake up earlier to squeeze in some time to read the Bible then do it.

Next, ensure that you recognize your day is given by God and make that thought something you’re aware of. As soon as you wake up, say, “Holy Spirit, thank you for this day which you’ve given me.”

Remember, as soon as you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, a relationship is established between you and God. So, you can commune with God. I talk more about it in this post.

Now, when you tell Holy Spirit that you’re grateful for the day which He has given to you, mean it. And the reason why I say this is because those words are very meaningful. God has given you a day to be productive and He has granted you the freedom to do something good with that day.

How God Wants Us To Never Be Idle

You can workout, you can study, you can learn something new, and the list of opportunities are endless. So, when you thank Him, make it something which you mean because that in itself will help you to be active throughout the day and never be idle.

Even more, God is willing to give you the grace to do what He sees as good. But, you must follow His will. If you don’t do things His way and you do it instead out of selfish ambition where you want to prove something for your glory, that is not good.

James 3:14-16 World English Bible (WEB)
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

And when you go to work or do whatever it is which you’ve set as a goal for yourself, do it for His glory. Do it in appreciation of what Jesus did for you, do it with Him and do it for Him because He loves you very much and He deserves the glory. He is the reason why you should never be idle.

1 Corinthians 10:31 World English Bible (WEB)
31 Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

To Never Be Idle As a Child of God

Make sure to trust God with what you want to do and He will help you. He will give you the wisdom if you want to study. If you want to learn something like how to cook, God will make sure you are able to learn. If you need to workout, then God will give you the strength to push yourself to the limits. But whatever you do, do it with Him.

Philippians 4:13 World English Bible (WEB)
13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

When Holy Spirit was talking through Paul in the above verse, it was in the context of how He was withstanding persecution for being a believer in Jesus Christ. So, make sure that you are first and foremost productive as a believer in Jesus. Then, this productivity will reflect in the rest of your day if you trust Him.

Also, make sure these are goals which God wants and not sinful goals because God will not back you up if you’re planning to do something evil. Instead, you will fail if you are trying to do something evil after knowing that Jesus would not approve of it.

John 15:6 World English Bible (WEB)
6 If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Don’t be a withered branch!

And finally, stay sensitive and ask Him for the sensitivity to hear what Holy Spirit wants to tell you. Obedience is key when it comes to being productive. If He tells you to do something, do it. Whether it makes sense or not, be quick to do as He says.

Romans 8:14 World English Bible (WEB)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

In the end, being productive and never idle relies on your relationship with God and how you reach that goal for success.

By Andre Wijesekera

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Underestimating The Crucified King Now Risen And Alive

Christ risen and alive

Many of us underestimate. We underestimate others, we underestimate ourselves, and so forth. But, if there’s one person we should not underestimate, that person is Jesus Christ. Many have underestimated Jesus, even those who believed in Him, but, God always makes sure that those who underestimate Him will come to a realization. It is my prayer that those of you reading this post will come to trust Jesus for who He is. In this post, I will talk about underestimation wherever it applies in life and how Jesus should not be underestimated for He is risen and alive.

The Nature of Man is to Underestimate

It is fundamental human nature to underestimate and that starts with ourselves. Sometimes people underestimate how good they are at playing a sport, and so, they just don’t try it at all.

At other times, people underestimate a business they just started and decide to not expand. The point is that it is intrinsically human to underestimate ourselves, but, sometimes God wants us to be more because we are His children.

Now, one key example of a person who underestimates himself in the Bible is Gideon. Gideon was a Jewish man who was not significant but God wanted him to free the nation of Israel from the tyrannical Midianites of that time.

Judges 6:15 World English Bible (WEB)
15 He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

However, like all human beings, Gideon underestimated himself and questioned God as to why He had made such a poor choice in choosing him. Of course, God never makes mistakes and once Gideon finally got his act together, God used him to lead 300 men to fight an entire army. Finally, Gideon won and Israel was liberated.

Another example of people underestimating was with Moses when God called him to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Moses tried to lecture God on how he could not talk properly, but God still wanted to use him.

Exodus 3:11 World English Bible (WEB)
11 Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

Despite Moses underestimating how God can use him, God used him nevertheless. So, if God calls you to do something, do it; do not underestimate what God can use you for.

Exodus 12:51 World English Bible (WEB)
51 That same day, Yahweh brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

God splits the ocean in half as Moses leads Israel out of Egypt

Underestimating Others

Since we’ve now established the point to not underestimate ourselves, let’s see the other side of the coin. God also wants us to not underestimate others. And He makes that clear throughout His lovely Word.

The Bible says David was but a shepherd boy and when Goliath the giant Philistine warrior was challenging Israel, all of Israel was scared. But, David wanted to defeat Goliath because God was with him. Now, when God is with you, and you’re challenging giants, remember, God is always the bigger giant.

But, David’s oldest brother, Eliab, scolded David and underestimated big time.

1 Samuel 17:28 World English Bible (WEB)
28 Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the evil of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle.”

Eliab just couldn’t see how a small guy could defeat a behemoth of a man. Eliab was thinking that if he couldn’t fight Goliath, how could anyone else fight the giant? Maybe you’ve thought of someone in your family who’s had a bad past and you think they’d never change, but, I’m telling you, God can change and use any person for His glory! Or maybe you thought that a certain person is naive and will never be able to financially succeed, well, God is the God of wisdom and He can turn a naive person into a financial genius. And in this case, Eliab ended up horribly wrong when David defeated the prideful, cocky giant.

1 Samuel 17:50 King James Version (KJV)
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore, do not be like Eliab, instead, respect the anointing of others and don’t even think about underestimating what God can do through them.

Don’t underestimate those who trust in God

Risen and Alive Christ Jesus

I hope you’ve noticed by now that the prevailing theme throughout my post is not to underestimate anyone. But, now, I’m going to take it to the next layer of truth. Do not underestimate God. Throughout this post, I’ve used examples from the Bible of underestimated people, but, if you really think about it, the examples teach that people underestimate God.

Moses and Gideon not only underestimated themselves but they also underestimated God by asking Him how is it possible for Him to use them. Furthermore, Eliab heard David not boasting in himself, but boasting in how God can defeat Goliath and Eliab still underestimated God through David.

So, it is very easy for us to doubt and to underestimate what God can do. In fact, many people underestimated Jesus. When Jesus was on the cross dying for you and for me, taking on the brunt of hell with a crown of thorns, people underestimated Him. I talk more about why He allowed Himself to undergo the crucifixion in this post.

Mark 15:31-32 World English Bible (WEB)
31 Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, “He saved others. He can’t save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.

If you’ve felt underestimated before, then, Jesus felt it all the more. With ribbons of flesh peeling off his dying body, the thorns of a prickly crown swirling through His skull, people viciously mocked Him. They were mocking Him with the presupposition that He couldn’t do anything.

The Nature of God is to Defy Underestimation

They believed He died for nothing, they thought that once He died, He would stay dead. And that’s why they were mocking Him, my God, even the people crucified with Him started mocking Him. Jesus came to the point that everyone underestimated Him.

But, as He died for our salvation on Good Friday, He rose again risen and alive after three days and nights on Easter Sunday.

Matthew 28:6 World English Bible (WEB)
6 He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.

Jesus is alive and risen. He is the God of miracles and He will make a miracle out of you so don’t doubt the God who defies underestimation. Furthermore, the Bible says that He appeared after His resurrection to many people so as to proclaim that He is risen and alive.

1 Corinthians 15:6 World English Bible (WEB)
6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.

So many people were convinced they had seen the once crucified King now risen and alive. That is why they stood for the Gospel even though it cost many of them their lives. But this is the good news we now celebrate on Good Friday. Jesus’ sacrifice followed by His resurrection was so epic that it started the Church.

Thus, to witness and experience the power of God in your life along with the lives of those around you, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. He paid a heavy price on this Good Friday so He could put His resurrection power in you. Therefore, do not underestimate anyone, just trust Jesus, stay humble, and see what God wants to do in your life.

Romans 8:11 World English Bible (WEB)
11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.