You have read your Bible over and over again, day after day and suddenly one verse pops out as if it had never been there, have you experienced this? Well, this I read in Proverbs for the “first time” yesterday…

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied”.
Proverbs 13: 4 (ESV)

We know how Proverbs teaches us to be diligent in all work, but here it is talking about the matters of our soul.

I read biographies of godly women, I see the life of many others in our day, and they inspire me to grow in my sanctification, but there is ONE thing all these women have in common, they desired, they longed to grow in the Lord and were not sluggards regarding their spiritual state, they were diligent in pursuing their sanctification.

I have forgotten to work on a new Bible verse to memorize, I have not always been diligent in guarding the words of my mouth. I must again go to my Master’s feet and find his forgiveness and strength to walk diligently in the matters of my soul.

I found this at Grace Gems this morning and the author says what I have been meditating, but his words are better than mine:

“The points of contrast are many and striking. The “sluggard” has his religious “desires,” and nothing more. He would sincerely be saved, but makes no effort to get salvation. He would be religious, without real religion; pious, without true piety; claiming the fruit of godliness apart from the root of godliness; looking for the reward of labor, without the labor that secures the reward; expecting the conquest of sinful habits without the battle that ensures the victory: in a word, looking for heaven without taking one real step heavenward!”

 And please, do not misunderstand me, I am not thinking that one must do something in order to achieve salvation. God forbid. I believe salvation is only by grace through the faith, which is a gift from God. I am saying that many Christians, long and desire to be more holy, more like Jesus, many desire to swim in the ocean of His grace yet are sluggards. It is easier to sit and contemplate others in their journey,  longing to have their soul richly supplied and yet, they just sit back. No diligence, no gain, no victories, no satisfaction. No crown.

Regarding the soul of the diligent man, the author says,

“It is, too, the lesson of daily life and of our whole life. Each day should find us growing in an acquaintance with Christ; augmenting our stock of grace; strengthening the graces of our Christian character; and “increasing in the knowledge of God.” Nor is this diligence to terminate but with the termination of our Christian course. “We desire,” says the Apostle, “that every one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” The necessity of watchfulness, earnestness, and perseverance in the things relating to our eternal future will exist until that future is reached.

The race we run, admits of no pause; the pilgrimage we travel, of no halting; the battle we fight, of no truce; the prize for which we compete, of no compromise. There is an end before us, and that end we must keep full in view. The Savior has said, “He that endures to the end shall be saved.” “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life that fades not away.”

This is what is in my heart today, what I am meditating upon, and so I start today a new day on my journey.

Please, if you have time, read the whole article on Spiritual Diligence here, and be encouraged.