Saturday, March 22, 2008

Boredom or Laziness?

I sit here at my computer on a Saturday afternoon bored out of my mind, while the truth is, I'm really just being lazy. It is a beautiful day in the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and there's a light breeze out of the north just strong enough to put a little chill in the air. It's the kind of day you can really breathe deeply and be energized to your very core. Nevertheless, I sit here at my computer apathetic to my dilemma.
My mind says that I should go and do something productive and vigorous, but my body says, "There will be plenty of nice spring days for that. Besides, it's too late in the day to really do anything now. It will be getting dark soon. You don't have enough time. Just sit here and relax. You work to hard anyway."
Who do I listen to, my mind or my body?
So far, my body has been winning this little tug of war. I've had a few spurts of animation here and there all afternoon, but they have lasted only a moment and then it's back to vacillating between my minds desires and my bodies rebuttals.
Have you ever been there? It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible.
"I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it, I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time." (Rom. 7:17-20 The Message)
I think this applies even in areas of our lives that are not necessarily bad. We know what we should do when it comes to health, relationships, finances, etc. But, most times knowing what we should do and actually doing it are two different things entirely. It is a constant contest.
Today, as dusk approaches, it appears to be that my body has won the debate and I have decided to just be lackadaisical in my activities. However, tomorrow is a new day, not to mention Easter Sunday, and in race that God has marked out for me, that is the day I'm too busy to be bored or lazy.
Have a blessed Easter everybody!

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