John Piper shares how he battles ‘spiritual laziness’

Notable theologian and author John Piper recently addressed how he handles the temptation of spiritual laziness, pointing to the Bible and famed preacher Jonathan Edwards.

In Monday’s episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, Piper was asked how people can “overcome half-heartedness” and “spiritual laziness.”

The chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, talked about Romans 12, in which Paul of Tarsus writes about using spiritual gifts and mentions “the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

“The transformed mind … really wants to do the will of God. It’s all in, 100%, with the will of God. It’s not a half-hearted doing of the will of God. If God’s will for you is to contribute, do it generously,” said Piper.

“If God’s will for you is to lead, lead zealously. If God’s will for you is to do mercy, show mercy, do it cheerfully, not begrudgingly.”

Piper went on to note that “what burns in Paul’s heart, as far as I can see, is that we serve the Lord in a certain way — namely, that we not be lethargic or slothful or lazy or half-hearted or sluggish or lukewarm.”

“If you were born passive, as a couch-potato-type person, you don’t get a pass. This is not a comment on your personality. This is a command for all Christians. Whatever your personality, make it work for you,” he continued.

Piper then talked about Edwards, the 18th century American preacher who played a key role in the First Great Awakening, a major spiritual revival event in British colonial America.

Piper discussed how Edwards had written 70 resolutions when he was 19 on how he was going to live his life, with number six on the list being “Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.”

“Every time I read that sentence, my heart rises up with zeal and says, ‘Yes, yes. O God, don’t let me waste my life with lukewarm, half-hearted efforts to do anything,’” Piper said about Edwards’ resolution.

“The booster rocket that sends zeal for good works — in fact, zeal for everything we do — into orbit, this booster rocket is: Christ died for this. He died for this. Christ gave himself on the cross to create a people with zeal — zeal for good works, zeal for the glory of the Lord.”