--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the…" description: "\"Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing the known will of God. Whatever we do in life requires effort. Everything we do is to be a m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg" --- # Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing… ![“Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing the known will of God. Whatever we do in life requires effort. Everything we do is to be a means of salvation. The slothful person is unwilling to do what God wants because of the effort it takes to do it. Sloth becomes a sin when it slows…” quote by John Hardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg) > “Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing the known will of God. Whatever we do in life requires effort. Everything we do is to be a means of salvation. The slothful person is unwilling to do what God wants because of the effort it takes to do it. Sloth becomes a sin when it slows down and even brings to a halt the energy we must expend in using the means to salvation.” John Hardon ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sloth, or laziness, hinders spiritual effort; true salvation requires active participation and willingness to do God's work despite difficulty. **In simple terms:** Laziness blocks spiritual growth; effort is needed. Key Takeaway Combat sloth with purposeful action. Themes spirituality discipline effort sin Mood reflective serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - prayer - charitable work - daily duties - personal development - community service Key Concepts theology moral philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize healthy rest versus sloth? - What motivates you to serve despite effort? A Different Perspective Excessive self‑criticism can cause guilt and discouragement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Gods will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-will/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sloth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sloth/) ## Related quotes > [ When he \[the slothful person\] is pressed to be diligent, either in his worldly affairs or in the business of religion, this is his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/when-he-the-slothful-person-is-pressed-to-be-diligent-either-in-his/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“In the Middle Ages, the sin of sloth had two forms,” he said. “One was paralysis, the inability to do anything—what we would see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/in-the-middle-ages-the-sin-of-sloth-had-two-forms-he-said-one-was/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [Men are generally idle, and ready to satisfy themselves, and intimidate the industry of others, by calling that impossible which is only difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/men-are-generally-idle-and-ready-to-satisfy-themselves-and-intimidate/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to it himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-weiler/nothing-is-impossible-for-the-man-who-doesn-t-have-to-it-himself/) A. H. Weiler > [Sloths have no real natural body odor, which helps hide and protect them from potential predators. As a result, their natural smell is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-burton/sloths-have-no-real-natural-body-odor-which-helps-hide-and-protect/) [Ann Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-burton/) > [In late modernity we grow more and more accustomed to politicians and public figures who are indebted to their appetites for their "values," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/in-late-modernity-we-grow-more-and-more-accustomed-to-politicians-and/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [I write because I admire the act of rationalization, of seeking clarity in one's understanding of the complexities of life, and I'm bad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-write-because-i-admire-the-act-of-rationalization-of-seeking/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [What is undeniable is that when comforts and convenience sap our energies and idealism, inactivity secretes sloth in to our minds like a poison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/what-is-undeniable-is-that-when-comforts-and-convenience-sap-our/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [The kindest word to describe my performance in school was Sloth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/the-kindest-word-to-describe-my-performance-in-school-was-sloth/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [The philanthropists inquire whether Transcendentalism does not mean sloth: they had as lief hear that their friend is dead, as that he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-philanthropists-inquire-whether-transcendentalism-does-not-mean/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The weather had freshened almost to coldness, for the wind was coming more easterly, from the chilly currents between Tristan and the Cape; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-weather-had-freshened-almost-to-coldness-for-the-wind-was-coming/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“For me, it´s sloth," I say. "Hedonistic sloth and escapism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/for-me-it-s-sloth-i-say-hedonistic-sloth-and-escapism/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [These cardinals trifle with me; I abhor; This dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/these-cardinals-trifle-with-me-i-abhor-this-dilatory-sloth-and-tricks/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Don't yield to that alluring witch, laziness, or else be prepared to surrender all that you have won in your better moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/don-t-yield-to-that-alluring-witch-laziness-or-else-be-prepared-to/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Hardon > [You must pray...without prayer, all the schooling in the world will not produce the effect God wants homeschooling to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/you-must-pray-without-prayer-all-the-schooling-in-the-world-will-not/) John Hardon > [The same ones who brought the children physically in the world have the natural obligation binding in the natural law to provide for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/the-same-ones-who-brought-the-children-physically-in-the-world-have/) John Hardon > [Those who do not believe do not pray. This is a good functional definition of faith. Faith prays, unbelief does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/those-who-do-not-believe-do-not-pray-this-is-a-good-functional/) John Hardon Explore all 4 John Hardon quotes ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing the known will of God. Whatever we do in life requires effort. Everything we do is to be a means of salvation. The slothful person is unwilling to do what God wants because of the effort it takes to do it. Sloth becomes a sin when it slows down and even brings to a halt the energy we must expend in using the means to salvation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Hardon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the-expense-of-doing-the-known/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the-expense-of-doing-the-known/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/john-hardon-73304_desire_sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the_3203458.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing the known will of God. Whatever we do in life…” — John Hardon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Hardon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hardon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sloth is the desire for ease,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the-expense-of-doing-the-known/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hardon/sloth-is-the-desire-for-ease-even-at-the-expense-of-doing-the-known/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```