You might be asking, “What is time mush?” It is a phrase and a picture that the Holy Spirit inspired me with. Let me walk you through it. Being retired, there are days where I have no appointments or commitments, nothing to press me into motion. At the same time, I know if I try to do too much I will have pain. Time becomes mushy like a bowl of oatmeal, one bite indistinguishable from another.

It isn’t like I don’t have things to do, things I even want to do, but the boundaries aren’t there and procrastination sets in. Another example is the frog in the pot of water, perfectly happy until it’s too late.

After I pulled all the scriptures for this post, I decided I should post a warning: This blog may cause you to feel convicted. I do. Just remember condemnation is different than conviction. The Holy Spirit shows us areas he can help us change.

I passed by the field of the lazy man and the vineyard of the man lacking sense. There it was, overgrown with thistles; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. I looked, and I thought about it; I saw, and I learned this lesson: “I’ll just lie here a bit, rest a little longer, just fold my hands for a little more sleep” — and poverty comes marching in on you, scarcity hits you like an invading soldier.‬‬

Mishlei (Pro)‬ ‭24‬:‭30‬-‭34‬ ‭CJB

For me the message is clear—if I want to have a fruitful life, I have to keep pressing forward and put in the work. And when I take a break and give myself a day to veg out, I need to remember it is a break and not a lifestyle.

A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.‬‬

Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT

Resting is not the same as being lazy. Resting is what you do after the work, while laziness is not doing the work at all, and according to this verse being lazy has a negative effect on your life.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.‬‬

James‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV

You’ve heard of the Seven Deadly Sins. Sloth is one of them, and sloth is just another word for laziness.

If you live with chronic pain or depression, you know how easy it is to feel overwhelmed with this whole topic. I know you want to get things done, but the struggle is real. We need help. Let’s look at a few more scriptures.

So teach us to count our days, so that we will become wise.

Show your deeds to your servants and your glory to their children. May the favor of Adonai our God be on us, prosper for us all the work that we do — yes, prosper the work that we do.‬‬

Tehillim (Psa)‬ ‭90‬:‭12‬, ‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭CJB

You may be familiar with verse 12, but look at 16 and 17. We may make a list of our goals to help us number our days, but it’s okay to ask God to help make what we do count and to ask him to show up.

Light shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say,

“Wake up from your sleep and rise from death. Then Christ will shine on you.”

Act like people with good sense and not like fools. Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do.‬‬

Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬, ‭17‬ ‭CEV

Not only should we pray for him to show up, but we should expect him to have an opinion. God is able to teach us and guide us when we listen to him.

One last thing—instead of allowing the time mush to turn us into shapeless blobs, what if we stir things up a little?

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When all you can do is one thing, then do that one thing and rejoice! “May the favor of Adonai our God be on us, prosper for us all the work that we do — yes, prosper the work that we do.‬‬”

Grace & Peace,

Sandy

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