Plodding

Worship Folder

Outline

Hook: Is calling someone a “plodder” a compliment? Or is it derogatory?

I. THE LONG GAME
“Steady plodding brings prosperity...” (Prov 21:5 TLB)

II. ACEDIA
“The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns” (Prov 15:19).

III. SOWING & REAPING
"... a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.” (Proverbs 14:14)

Take-away: Grace is opposed to merit; not effort.

Resources

• Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks
• Arthur Brooks, The Happiness Files
• Andy Crouch, The Life We're Looking For
• Tish Harrison Warren, What Grows in Weary Lands

Discussion Questions

1. When you hear “plodder,” is that positive or negative for you? How do Proverbs 21:5 and Ecclesiastes 5:18–19 reshape your view of slow, steady faithfulness?
2. Where do you see “acedia” (spiritual laziness or avoidance) in your own life (Prov 15:19; 19:15; 26:13–15)? What does the image of a “hedge of thorns” practically mean?
3. Looking at the sowing/reaping verses (Prov 12:11, 14; 14:14; 24:30–34), what’s one area where you need to trust that today’s small, unseen obedience will bear fruit over time?
4. How does the idea “Grace is opposed to merit, not effort” help you distinguish between earning God’s favor and faithfully plodding in response to his grace?
5. In a culture that prizes speed and constant novelty, what is one practical way you could choose “steady plodding” this week—in work, relationships, or spiritual life?