One of the problems difficult people often have is laziness. Lazy people frustrate those around them who are motivated to take care of things by acting responsibly. They cannot understand why someone would refuse to do what they should.

Here are some attitudes lazy people often have:

• Chronic procrastination.
• A sense of entitlement—others owe them.
• Irresponsible actions that appear not to change, even when they experience negative fallout.
• Looking for the easiest way on the path that requires the least amount of effort.

It is maddening to watch someone who refuses to take action. The tendency is to nag the person in an attempt to motivate. It’s also easy to get caught up in the lazy person’s manipulation and start to believe they are entitled to your help. It can be difficult to allow them to experience negative consequences because they aren’t typically motivated by them until they get really bad. They may also entice you to help them so they have to expend only minimal effort, knowing you will be glad they’re at least doing something.

The only thing that can help a sluggard is to have to face the consequences of their inaction over an extended period of time—with no help from others. If you help them, you only prolong the inevitable. They are not motivated by nagging, threats, explanations, help, or advice. The more you involve yourself and believe you can do something to change them, the longer they have to avoid dealing with things themselves. Avoid the temptation to get involved. Someone who is that stubborn has to come to the end of themselves on their own.

By Karla Downing
 

Relationship Devotional Prayer

 
God,

Help me to step back and let a lazy person deal with the consequences of their inaction on their own, without my involvement.
 

Relationship Devotional Challenge

• Do you have a lazy person in your life?
• What do you do to attempt to motivate them?
• Stop doing all the things that prolong their laziness.

Scripture Meditation

 
Proverbs 26:13-15

“A sluggard says, ‘There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!’
As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth” (NIV).

Lazy sluggards are difficult to motivate. They are obstinate and stubborn. If someone creates excuses, is satisfied with very little, and is even too lazy to feed themselves when the food is there, why do you believe you can force them to change by nagging them?