THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT: Reflecting on the sin of Sloth
This concludes a series of reflections on the seven deadly sins, with related scripture for meditation. Begin the series here .
As I stood in line for confession, folding and unfolding the little slip of paper I had written my sins on, asking the Lord to tell me if I had forgotten anything – the words of the Confiteor came to me:
“…in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault….”
“Things I had failed to do” were not on my list. In fact, things I had failed to do were not part of my examination of conscience at all.
Next time, maybe I’ll use the seven deadly sins as my standard, because right at the end comes one that we often neglect: the sin of sloth or acedia. A sin that, if we let it, has the potential to pack our lives with sins of omission.
When you give room to sloth, you may find that lethargy, sadness, and indifference cloud your soul like a fog. Sloth is spiritual apathy: a wet blanket on the heart. St. Thomas Aquinas called it “an oppressive sorrow which so weighs upon a man’s mind that he wants to do nothing.”
Sloth comes when you stop hungering and thirsting for righteousness. It’s the refusal of charity: deliberately not doing those things you know you should do. Peter Kreeft called it “laziness in heavenly tasks.” With sloth, good works – the fruits of our faith – are still-born.
Sloth can masquerade as depression, and it’s easy to treat it like a disease to be medicated – but sloth is a sin that can be forgiven, healed, and washed away.
If you feel yourself sliding into sloth: run to God in prayer! Ask him to stir your spirit into life, to give you the grace to do the things you know you should. Then act! Do something good you know you should do, but haven’t.
EXAMINE YOUR HEARTHere are a few verses you might want to look up and ponder as you examine your conscience with regard to sloth. Then take any need you find in your own heart to God for healing as you pray with Psalm 143. (Anyone who’s struggled with sloth will recognize the feelings described in the first half. And this psalm provides a time-tested antidote, too! (Read my meditation on it here).
Proverbs 21:25-26Proverbs 24:30-34Hebrews 6:11-12Romans 12:9-13 (especially vs. 11)“From the sin of sloth, O Lord, deliver me…”
A SUGGESTION FOR GOOD FRIDAYThe Penitential Psalms, which I’ve recommended praying during Lent for the intentions of these seven capital sins, are traditionally prayed during Lent. I have found it to be a specially meaningful practice to pray all of them together on Good Friday. This download explains how to do that, either with or without intentions related to these particular sins.
God bless you as you pray with his word!
+ + + + + + +Read my post on praying with the Penitential Psalms for Lent here.Read my reflection on Psalm 143 here.+ + + + + + +CONTINUE TO FIND GRACE IN THE PSALMS
I wrote these prayer journals as a guide to praying deeply with Scripture over time. Each chapter leads the reader through praying with a single psalm several times over the course of a week, going deeper each time so as to etch God’s word on the soul and helping the ear of the heart to hear a personal word spoken through the psalm. Create in Me a Clean Heart is based on the Penitential Psalms. Lord, Make Haste to Help Me features seven psalms to pray in time of need. May they be a blessing to you as you ponder the Word!
© 2014, 2025 Sarah Christmyer
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