God’s Word commands us to be diligent and put our hands to good use. Many times the Bible uses the term “idle hands” to warn us of the dangers that surround a misuse of free time. Here, we’ll look at some scripture passages where God mentions idle hands, then we’ll see what challenges arise from an idle mind and lastly I’ll lay out a few practical steps for refocusing an idle mind.
“ What does God say about hands? After studying the bible for years, I decided to put my Word knowledge to work and write about it. God says lots of things about hands. Psalms 91 is a bible verse about protecting your hands. Job 20:25 is a bible verse about the truth that God tests hands. Ephesians 4:28 is a bible verse saying we should not let our hands to grow idle.”
Bible Verses About Idle Hands
Idle hands are the Devil’s playground. The Bible tells us that if we don’t work, we shouldn’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). In fact, many Bible verses about wasting time mention what happens to idle people: “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing…” (Proverbs 13:4).
Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.
-Proverbs 16:26
If you want to be rich, sell all your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
-Luke 18:22
Idle hands lead to mischief.
-Proverbs 6:6
Proverbs 21:24 – The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it to his mouth again.
Proverbs 6:11-12
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
- “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise! She has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet she stores her provisions in summer and gathers her food at harvest.” -Proverbs 6:6-8 (NIV)
- “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” -Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)
- “The hand of the diligent will rule” -Proverbs 12:24 (NIV)
Proverbs 6:6-11:
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways and be wise. Without having any chief, officer or ruler, she prepares her food in summer and gathers her food in harvest. O sluggard, how long will you lie there? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest–and poverty will come upon you like a robber and scarcity like an armed man.”
What Does God Say About Hands
Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. Idleness brings mischief and trouble. Unoccupied hands always get into mischief (Proverbs 26:27). The devil finds work for idle hands to do (Matthew 12:36). In fact, he will even make them pray, when they should be at their tasks!
Proverbs 4:23 ESV / 8 helpful votes
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Psalm 28:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes
Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.
Romans 8:31 ESV / 7 helpful votes
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
John 16:33 ESV / 7 helpful votes
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 11:28 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Proverbs 29:15 ESV / 7 helpful votes
The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 21:24-26 ESV / 7 helpful votes
“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride. The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
Psalm 23:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Joshua 1:9 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 6 helpful votes
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Hebrews 12:11 ESV / 6 helpful votes
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Ephesians 6:4 ESV / 6 helpful votes
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Isaiah 40:31 ESV / 6 helpful votes
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Proverbs 15:19 ESV / 6 helpful votes
The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
Proverbs 13:24 ESV / 6 helpful votes
Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Proverbs 10:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes
The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Hebrews 12:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. …
Philippians 4:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes
If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.
Proverbs 31:25 ESV / 4 helpful votes
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
Proverbs 16:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
Titus 3:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes
And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. …
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20 ESV / 3 helpful votes
Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: …
Ecclesiastes 5:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
Colossians 3:1-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. …
John 11:25-26 ESV / 2 helpful votes
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Matthew 10:1-42 ESV / 2 helpful votes
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, …
Ecclesiastes 10:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes
A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.
An Idle Mind Bible Verse
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12:2 (NIV)
“If you’re bored, it’s a sign you’ve stopped growing.” —Erica Jong
A busy mind is not a happy mind. And when we have a lot of things on our mind, it can be really easy to get distracted by the little things and lose focus.
God loves our hands because they are His creation. Our hands are important because they allow us to do so much good for ourselves, for others, and for God’s kingdom. The Bible tells us that “the hand of the diligent will rule.” (Proverbs 12:24)
I’ve found that having an idle mind can lead to bad habits like overeating or watching too much TV. Psalm 127:2 says, “It is vain for you to rise up early and go late to rest…” So if you want to be successful in life, you need to find something useful to do each day – even if it’s just cleaning your house or doing laundry!
“The hands of the diligent make for themselves skillful work, but the hands of the slothful man bring trouble on himself.” — Proverbs 12:24
Proverbs 16:19 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” That being said, we can understand that God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives — including what we think about and what we do with our time.
In this verse from Proverbs 12:24, God tells us how important it is to be diligent and use our time wisely. If we’re not careful, an idle mind can lead to sin (see Proverbs 6:16-19).
“Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commandments.” Jeremiah 10:12
The Bible is full of verses about the importance of using your hands to do good. Here are a few examples:
“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” (Proverbs 12:24)
“Wherefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)
“But let all things be done decently and in order.” (I Corinthians 14:40)
“The hands of the diligent make for themselves a place of profit, but all of the slothful are in want.” – Proverbs 12:24
To be idle is to waste time. It can also be seen as a lack of action or progress. And it’s not good for you. If you’re idle, you’re missing out on opportunities and other things that could be beneficial to you.
Idleness can lead to depression, boredom and an overall lack of happiness. A person who spends too much time at home alone may experience this feeling more than most people do.
Of course, the opposite is also true: being active can help you feel better about yourself and your life.