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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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Realizing Your Value In The Eyes of God

It is very difficult to love others if don’t start realizing your value. There’s a divine and precious principle in understanding your intrinsic value as an individual. One major idea behind those who struggle with thoughts of suicide or depression is the despicable notion of self-worthlessness. Nevertheless, read what the Word of God has to say, and observe how much God has valued you.

The Importance of Loving Yourself

The fact of the matter is that not loving yourself can be very harmful. If you can’t love yourself, how could you possibly love others?

1 Corinthians 13:1 World English Bible (WEB)
13 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

The Bible makes it very clear as it does in the verse above that love is essential to every individual. The Biblical narrative is about love from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelations. And Jesus reminded us in the New Covenant that realizing your value in God’s eyes is a prerequisite to loving others when he talked about the two most important commandments.

Mark 12:31 World English Bible (WEB)
31 The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’Leviticus 19:18 There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus said to love others as yourself, meaning that this commandment first assumes that you love yourself. Now, God is not a hypocrite. Whatever He tells us to do is always a reflection of what He demonstrates and this case is no exception. Furthermore, If God did not love Himself, how could He love us?

John 3:35 World English Bible (WEB)
35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

Verses like the above verse make it clear that Father God loves Himself even as God the Son. Bible verses like John 3:35 should not confuse us about Jesus’ divinity, rather, it should point out the loving nature of God.

Moreover, if God loves Himself, then, we should also love ourselves because we should imitate and obey God.

Ephesians 5:1 World English Bible (WEB)
5 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

Realizing Your Value In Christ Jesus

Moreover, loving yourself is a key to success. When you love yourself, you enable yourself to establish and maintain healthy relationships since you become capable of loving others. Plus, when you love yourself, you establish a healthy quality of confidence within your personality.

But, maybe your past prevents you from loving yourself. Maybe you’re living in guilt and condemnation for past actions which now disgust you. Well, there’s even a solution for that.

2 Corinthians 5:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The moment you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour where He paid the price for your sins so that you don’t have to, He sees you as a new creation. He values you as His beloved child and you then gain the right to imitate your Heavenly Father.

So, your past self has nothing to do with your current righteousness obtained through Jesus Christ.

Even God calls it wise to love yourself. If you love your soul, that makes it tremendously easier to seek wisdom. So, it’s a wise decision to start realizing your value in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 19:8 World English Bible (WEB)
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul.
    He who keeps understanding shall find good.

A Wise Decision Indeed

It is therefore the best decision to love yourself. When you love yourself, you allow God to work in you. If you understand the value that God assigned you, God can work through you and in you to accomplish amazing things.

Matthew 5:14-16 World English Bible (WEB)
14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. 16 Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Even Jesus said in the above passage that you are the light of the world if you follow Him. Jesus compares you and me to a lamp and that our purpose is to glorify Him because He has made us for a special reason; you’ve got to understand this! If God says that He made you in His image, then don’t call yourself insignificant, it’s like putting a lamp under a basket instead of placing it on a stand.

Sure, you are imperfect but that’s the way all people are. Only God is perfect, that doesn’t mean you’re insignificant. When you understand how much Jesus loves you, it becomes a no-brainer to love yourself.

Genesis 1:27 World English Bible (WEB)
27 God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.

Therefore, believe what God says, and love yourself because He loves you. When you realize the extent of God’s undying love for you, it becomes very easy to love yourself. And when you love yourself, it becomes very easy to love others since God loves them.

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Wisdom’s Blessing on the Righteous

It is such a wonderful thing to be wise. At some point in every person’s life, life-changing decisions must be made. And it is in these moments that wisdom plays a role.

Is Wisdom Needed?

Wisdom is needed because how we act is dependant on how we think. If one lives with a foolish mindset, it will lead to that person’s eventual destruction.

Proverbs 1:7 World English Bible (WEB)
7 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
    but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

No one wants to be foolish, so develop that desire for wisdom, to do what God wants you to do. The Bible says it is better to be wise than to be rich. That does not mean you should be poor, it just means that you should prioritize being wise.

Proverbs 3:13-14 World English Bible (WEB)
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
    the man who gets understanding.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
    and her return is better than fine gold.

King Solomon prioritized wisdom and because of that God rewarded him with riches. So, in the same way, God wants you to seek His wisdom, and then prosperity will follow you.

God’s Answer to Wisdom Sought

Now that you want wisdom, how do you actually get wisdom?

Well, it’s pretty simple. Wisdom is attainable as a privilege of being a believer in Christ Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh, and God knows EVERYTHING! There is no being to ever exist who can be smarter or wiser than God! This is why He is known as omniscient (all-knowing).

But, when you believe in Jesus, you are given the mind of Christ. It’s God’s mind in your spirit!

1 Corinthians 2:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Remember, this is not to say you will be all-knowing, because God knows you cannot handle such wisdom, only God can handle that. But for the wisdom which you need, God will give it to you.

Jesus is generous, He gives you wisdom if you ask Him for it. If you want to know what’s the right thing to do in any situation, ask God for wisdom. If you are struggling with how to improve a certain area in your life, ask God for wisdom. Whenever you need wisdom, whether it be for school, your workplace, or anywhere else, ask God for the wisdom because He paid the price for it.

James 1:5 World English Bible (WEB)
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

The Redemption Work Behind the Wisdom

Not only does God give you wisdom when you ask Him for it, but He actually paid the price for you to have wisdom! It may be hard for you to wrap your mind around it but just look at what the Bible has to say.

Proverbs 9:4-5 World English Bible (WEB)
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come, eat some of my bread,
    Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

If you look at the entirety of the passage, you can see from the beginning of this chapter that the person of wisdom is talking. Wisdom is the one who says in verse 5 to eat the bread and drink of the wine.

Doesn’t that sound familiar to the Holy Communion. Jesus told us to eat bread which is His flesh and to drink wine which is His blood as the communion that reminds us of His sacrifice for us.

Matthew 26:26-28 World English Bible (WEB)
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, 28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

Why does the Spirit of Wisdom tell us to take the communion? It is because in order for you to attain wisdom, you must remember what Jesus did for you on that cross. He bore your diseases, your punishments and all the consequences which you deserved because He dearly loves you.

He preferred that He suffer what you deserved instead of you, no matter the hell it would bring. This is the heart of your Heavenly Father. And when you remember that, when you take the communion, asking God for wisdom, He will definitely answer your heart’s desire.

Cost of Foolishness Paid in Full

Moreover, there are times when we get angry with ourselves for the dumbest things we’ve done. If you regret past foolish mistakes or dumb decisions that have led to heavy consequences, I’m telling you today, that Jesus even paid the price for that!

You may be shocked, maybe even offended, but it’s the truth! Just because you didn’t use God-given wisdom in the past, doesn’t mean you are defined by those mistakes.

Proverbs 19:29 World English Bible (WEB)
29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.

Furthermore, the Bible says that beatings should be prepared for the backs of fools, this is the punishment for foolishness. And yet… Jesus being the very wisdom of God, chose that punishment instead.

John 19:1 World English Bible (WEB)
19 So Pilate then took Jesus, and flogged him.

Jesus was scourged for your sake. If you believe you must go through the consequences of whatever dumb choice you made, think again, because that is not the will of God. Whether you failed miserably in a school test, or made a bad investment decision, God will make it all turn out for your good because He loves you.

As I said in the previous section, not only did Jesus, the wisest being to ever exist, suffer the beating which is reserved for fools, He bled and gave His body to be broken for you! He suffered the consequences of foolishness despite being innocent and wise as ever so you could be made wise and be freed from the guilt of your past foolishness.

The Wisest Choice You Could Ever Make

Furthermore, the wisest thing you could ever do, is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. He is kind, He is loving, and when you make a commitment to Him, you will have inner peace.

The Bible does not talk about good or bad people in terms of salvation. Rather, it talks about wise and foolish people. Since you are a wise person, do the wise thing and accept Jesus as the lover of your soul. Don’t let anything hold you back from accepting Jesus. He is gentle and He eagerly wants you to enter into a relationship with Him.

1 Corinthians 1:24 World English Bible (WEB)
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;

Therefore, Jesus is the wisdom of God and He is more precious than silver or gold. So, enjoy a relationship with Him; taste and see that the Lord is good. If you lack wisdom in anything, recognize what Jesus paid for, and receive His divine wisdom!