If we made a list of hindrances to athletes today, what would it include? Drugs? Violence? Selfishness? Anger? Cheating? What if I said laziness was one of the top three hindrances to athletes? Some may disagree because of the intense training and conditioning of today’s athletes. I agree they are conditioned, ripped, and seem to be more physically conditioned than ever before, but I’m not talking about physical laziness.

Hebrews 6:12 describes “lazy” as something dull, unexciting; something that is slow or has lost its momentum. In other words, not moving with the same velocity and aggressiveness it once had. This is a picture of someone who has lost his drive—like sitting in a sports car and only shifting the gear into neutral.

We know them well—athletes who, at first, worked hard and gave the credit to God for their success. But then as success increased, giving God the glory decreased. It happens all the time—the once humble athlete asks for more of the world and less of God. Pride takes over!

King Uzziah was one of these men. Under the spiritual influence of Zechariah, Uzziah sought the Lord and was blessed. But Uzziah started to focus more on himself and less on God. He became powerful quickly and quickly forgot who got him to that point. He became so proud and brash that he entered the temple and tried to do things only the priests were allowed to do.