The following commentary on Proverbs 15:19 is from Charles Bridges commentary on Proverbs. A week or so ago, while doing my morning reading, I was moved to explore commentaries on this verse, Bridges had the most meaningful comments on it. I have read over his comments several times since then, because I was convicted by his words and needed to hear them and understand this problem better.
Furthermore, Bridges words refocused my attention towards God, and thereby gave hope.
[Bracketed statements, emboldening and underscoring are mine for explanation or emphasis. Also, I created a few paragraph breaks for ease of reading.]
He firstly talks about the hindrance of slothfulness in general, then as it impacts the Christian walk.
Begin Bridges commentary:
Proverb 15:19
- The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
[Commentary] 19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. {is made…: Heb. is raised up as a causey† a }[causeway] Another picture of the slothful man drawn to life! He plants his own hedge, and then complains of its hindrance. He is always at a stand. Every effort is like forcing his way through a hedge of thorns, where every thorn -bush tears his flesh. Indecision, delay, and sluggishness, add to his difficulties, and paralyze his exertion; so that after a feeble struggle of conscience, with much to do, but no heart to do anything, he gives up the effort. This sloth is ruinous in temporals.
[His heart is not in his work because it may be in love with the world or the flesh….]
One or two hills vigorously climbed make the way plain for future triumph. But to put half the soul to the work; to drag to it as an unavoidable task; to avoid present difficulties in order to find a smoother path, makes a hedge of thorns, harassing to the end of the journey.
Much more ruinous is this evil in the Christian life. The sluggard in religion is never at ease. He knows that he needs a change. He makes and effort to pray; or he takes up a good book. But all withers for want of purpose of heart. Exertion is to him impossible. He sees no hope of overcoming, and sinks again.
Nor is this merely the beginning of his path. It is his way — his whole course. [His manner of running the Christian race….]
The righteous may loiter or decline, but it is not his way. The slothful man may have a fit — sometimes an astonishing fit — of exertion; but he relapses to his former state (Proverbs 12:27), still surrounded by a hedge of thorns, unable to force his way, pierced, disheartened to the end.
Observe God’s estimate of him. He contrasts with him, not the diligent, but the righteous; marking him as a “wicked, because a slothful servant.” (Matthew 25:26.) The difficulties are far more in the mind than in the path. For while the slothful sits down by his hedge- side in despair, the way of the righteous, in itself not more easy, is made plain.
He does not expect God to work for him in an indolent habit. But he finds that God helps those that help themselves. Working with diligence, he finds that he can work in comfort. Following his commands, feeding upon his promises, continuing in prayer, in waiting and watching for an answer to prayer — his way is raised up, before him. He believes what is written, and acts upon it without disputing, without delay. As soon as ever the light comes into his mind — at the very first dawn — this determines the direction of his steps, and the order of his proceedings. Thus his stumbling-blocks are removed. (Num 13:30; Numbers 14:6-9. Isaiah 57:14.)
Industrious wisdom performs what lazy foolishness deemed impossible. Thorns there are doubtless in the way, but not an impassable hedge of thorns; only such, as while they pierce his flesh, are overruled as a blessing to his soul. (2 Corinthians 12:7-8.) [By faith and God’s grace….]
Now to apply this to myself — to my great work.
Of infinite moment it is for me to have my way made plain. For this — confidence of success is indispensable. Let me then examine my ground. Suppose up to this moment I have been living in enmity with God; yet now he “willeth not my death;” he invites me to come to him; he assures my acceptance. I have his word to depend upon. Why should “I stagger in unbelief”? His truth claims my confidence, and warrants my expectation of the certain blessing.
I do not begin, hoping to amend for past neglect, but believing in him for free pardon and strength. The physician heals my helplessness. Faith expels slavish fear, and “the way of the LORD,” instead of a hedge of thorns, is “strength to the upright.” (Proverbs 10:29.)
The prospect brightens, and instead of “the hard man,” which the slothful pictures to himself, a reconciled God appears before me. (Matthew 25:24. 2 Corinthians 5:19.)
This is no easy way. What fluctuation of faith! — What weariness and discouragement! But at length the way is made plain. Difficulties are faced, surmounted, carried by assault, and what cannot be removed is endured. The mountains are leveled before Zerubbabel. (Zechariah 4:7.) The feeble worm threshes them by the energy of faith. (Isaiah 41:15.)
Hope, love, and joy, are conquering principles. Religion, with all its crosses, is found to be a practicable thing. (Philippians 4:13.) The victory over sloth opens a happy and triumphant way to heaven. (Matthew 11:12.)
The slothful man has enjoyed the same advantages. But he has not gone through the thorn-hedge of his own corruptions. He has never learnt, that the cross is the discipline to the end of the way. He does not think what is spoken to faith, but what is agreeable to feeling. He has never broken through the thorn of unbelief.
He has compromised and failed in the unreserved trust and surrender of himself to his Savior. He never therefore comes to God in confidence. All his service is with a festering conscience, and with that timidity and delay which ensures defeat. His way at every turn is restless trouble; struggling with a hedge of thorns to the very last.
Child of God! beware of a sluggish spirit. Even the morbid, scrupulous strife about your state may sometimes be a slothful indulgence in direct opposition to the plainest declarations of God. Let not unbelief wrest the promise from your hand, or paralyze the hand that holds it.
If the way has been made plain, sit not down in the indulgent comfort of it. But “go in this thy strength” to more important advantage. Prize every particle of success obtained by exertion.
Oh! it is worth everything, if we have suffered ourselves to be entangled by spiritual sloth, to rise, though it be at the setting of the sun, and clear away the clouds, that “in the evening time there may be light.” (Zechariah 14:7.) Happy indeed will it be to be quickened, though at the last, to a firmer confidence; to be brought, though only a step nearer to Christ, — to have one thorn less to conflict with in the struggle of death.
Bridges, Charles. Proverbs (pp. 308-309). Honza Pokorny. Kindle Edition.