One thing I have been struggling with very much of late is laziness. Or perhaps more accurately, a fine blend of procrastination, fear, and really bad time management.

I have been running my own business since mid-2005 so you'd think I would have worked out my self-discipline issues by now, but because much of that time was spent studying and there was a 5 week stint where I worked under someone else, I never noticed how little input I actually had into my own business. I think it has been over a year since I've actually completed a website, but I've had several on the go for quite some time now.

But! I have been learning something very important in these last couple of weeks. God desires a proactive man. I've just started reading 'Captivating' (yeah yeah, I know, it's a meant for the women) and it talks about how women have many times been painted at rest, but "men look ridiculous lying on a bed buck naked, half covered with a sheet. It doesn't fit the essence of masculinity. Something in you wants to say, 'Get up already and get a job.'"

Proverbs 6:9-11 gives clear warning to those who are lazy. "...poverty comes upon you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man."

This Sunday morning just gone, John James, former lead singer and co-founder of the Newsboys, came to our church as a guest speaker and he drew his sermon from the lame man at the pool of Bethesba (John 5). One of the key points that stuck in my heart was that people often make excuses for why they have not been healed (or followed God's leading to do what's required to fix things). We cannot blame others for our condition, and we must overcome any other excuse for why we do not 'arise and walk' like the lame man.

I realised that some of my own excuses for not working were "I'm not sure what I'm doing, or supposed to be doing", "I just need to find a job and I'll be fine if I'm just working under someone else", "I can't work at home with my family distracting me all the time", and a few others.

After contemplating a little more and sharing my thoughts with a few men at church, I determined that I would leave my lazy ways behind and start making something decent of this business of mine that God has blessed me with. He keeps supplying the work, and I must do my part in everything. After two days of working at a table over in the granny flat (instead of my bed), so far so good. I believe this is a turning point in my life.