When you’re feeling lazy,
Proverbs 6: 6-8, TPT
come and learn a lesson from this tale of the tiny ant.
Yes, all you lazybones, come learn
from the example of the ant and enter into wisdom.
The ants have no chief, no boss, no manager—
no one has to tell them what to do.
You’ll see them working and toiling all summer long,
stockpiling their food in preparation for winter.
Let me be the first to say that I am not fond of ants or any creature other than humans. (Sorry in advance to all my animal and insect lovers! God bless y’all!) So I have to share this quick story about my run in with these creatures before I share some insights from this month’s scripture focus.
Several years ago, when I had my townhome in Georgia, I had a rude awakening. My mom, who lived in Atlanta at that time, often came by to visit and she kept telling me about an anthill down at the end of the driveway. She would encourage harass me to get it checked out before I had a bigger issue. I didn’t really pay her any mind…until one morning when I was forced to.
I came into the kitchen early that morning, since I was still working at the hospital at the time, to grab my lunch and head to work. When I flipped on the light, my entire counter was covered in black. I almost screamed until I realized what it was–ants! I was horrified and almost started to cry…well I really did cry! Needless to say, I had to call out of work that day. Thankfully, I was able to call a guy from church that I knew owned a pest control company to come and fix the issue. (I’m literally just starting to get itchy thinking about that all over again, lol!)
So while I don’t care for those creatures at all, they do have a few lessons to teach us today, 8 to be exact, even while waiting. This month, may you consider these 8 lessons that the ant taught me, as you prepare while you wait.
- They aren’t lazy. In other words, they don’t put things off, i.e. procrastinate, but prepare beforehand. In what ways are you preparing while you wait?
- They are wise. By studying and learning their ways, we, too, can become wise and make good use of our time. In what ways have you become wise while you wait?
- They are self-governed and initiators. They don’t need someone to rule over them or tell them what they know they need to do. What things can you initiate right now that you know you need to do while you wait?
- They are diligent. They don’t have to be forced or made to work. In what ways can you be diligent right now in the wait?
- They labor hard all summer, i.e. while others are out having fun, living their best life, and only thinking about the present, they are considering their future needs. In what ways have you considered your own future and what decisions can you make today to prepare for it?
- They work to prepare for the season ahead. They don’t allow the season to come upon them unprepared. (That’s a whole lesson for those who are waiting!) How are you working ahead for the upcoming seasons of your life?
- They work out of season, i.e. when things aren’t popular or maybe no one else is doing it, to ensure they have enough for the lean months–the cold months where things may not be as fruitful or there may be lack. How are you preparing now for the seasons of ” living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (Philippians 4:12, NLT)?
- They gather what they need and work while there is plenty/a harvest. What are some things you may need to gather in your season of plenty/harvest?
Sis, we are in the last quarter of 2019! Be sure you don’t become lazy in the next 89 days that we have left for this year, but use this time to gain some wisdom from the Lord, be self-governed, diligent, hardworking, gather and prepare for all the great things God has in store for you!
Genesis 2:22, NLT
Scripture references: The Holy Bible (NLT, TPT)
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Lady In Waiting 222 
Great lessons, all to gain from those pesky little creatures! I guess they might be wiser than we think!
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