Good For Nothing Slave Productions

For a long time now, I have been unproductive in various aspects of my life, namely: spiritually, occupationally, physically, socially, and mentally. Therefore, I think it is time to make a resolution to improve in these areas. However, I must soberly note that no amount of resolutions will change a course of living without the will power to follow through. We often look to external means as solutions whether it be praying to God, taking prescriptions, seeking encouragement from others, or pursuing pleasure; yet, these external means are short lived and with the lack of their presence comes a return to the former way of being/feeling. What is it that causes us to be so lazy when it comes to our own personal well-being; yet, be so eager to work eagerly under the slavery of others? Proverbs 6:6-7 rings true in this case where it says, “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.” We are required to do our part in making sure that our families have their necessities while at the same time relying on God to supplement our deficiencies. This being said, does that mean that we shouldn't work hard to maximize our potential? In this aspect, I feel that my efforts are pathetic. I do find comfort in the words of the Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 7 verse 31 saying, “Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them.” Now this is by no means an encouragement for us to pursue a course of laziness but rather and admonishment to not make our primary goal while living on this earth the acquisition of worldly wealth and the admiration of others. This is hard, because deep down inside we all have a desire to own nice things and be admired. Whether it be for our physical appearance, intellectual astuteness, sense of humor, or kind temperament, we all want someone to notice us for our positive qualities. Anyone who would deny such a common human emotion is either in self denial or putting up a front so as to appear above the average man in their ability to not be influenced by such trivial things. In the end, their efforts are self defeating and hypocritical. In the end, we come back to the ultimate question, “How can we genuinely take measures to improve ourselves that will not only be ongoing but also stem from the right motives?” 

Some of my fellow Christians would say that coming into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and His Father Yahweh can fix all of these issues wagging war within us leaving us with a genuine sense of peace; yet, this peace will only endure so long as one continues on a righteous course. Even Jesus said, “Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” (Matthew 6:32-33) Maybe it comes back to my original statement, because I do admit that I have been lacking in this department; thus, it could be the very source of my deficiency in all other departments. I do pray, but my devotion to bible reading and preaching is lacking in comparison to my past activity. This being said, I believe that I must put in the extra effort to improve my spiritual well-being, and by doing so all other aspects of my life will come in line. For as we see, we do have a responsibility towards our own betterment. Still, some might ask, “Is it wrong to pursue the Kingdom of God solely for such a selfish purpose namely: for the godly provisions that come from this righteous course of action.” Of course not, because even Hebrews 11:6 states, “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” The very fact that one chooses to take such a course of action, namely: performing godly devotion on the hopes that they will benefit themselves (Isaiah 48:17,18) is an act of faith that God is real and capable of fulfilling His promises of a reward. Many in the world lack such a faith; thus, they continue to try to meet their own needs independent from God's help. True, benefiting from God's provisions do require some effort on our part but it is far less compared to the energy exertion required from doing it all on our own. (Matthew 11:29)