spiritual sloth

Heb. 6:12 "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

The word translated slothful in KJV and sluggish in NKJV is Strongs # 3576 meaning lazy literally or sluggish and stupid(dull, slothful) figuratively. The idea of spiritual sloth as a separate issue is I confess a relatively new one to consider. Proverbs addresses the issues and fruit of daily physical sloth over and over so it is a familiar topic. But this idea of being spiritually slothful is much more serious. It's contrasted here with the virtues of faith and patience and it is clear that the inheritance of the promises of God is what's at stake.
It is so easy to start something. There's the excitement of the newness, the thrill of a new activity or venture. But once the newness wears off, it is so difficult to continue. It is so easy to decide at first to be faithful in some new practice or virtue, only to sell it cheaply when the cost is faith (believing that it matters and is required) and patience (waiting to see any fruit or difference from the choice).
Scripture here admonishes us to be followers (imitators) of those who throough faith and patience inherited the promises. Examples abound in the Word. We are bound to search them out and imitate them.

Exodus 9: 20-21

Exodus 9:20-21 "He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses. And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field."

The Egyptians here made two different responses to the same truth. Some believed it was true and sheltered their servants and cattle to protect them from the coming plague. Others disregarded the message brought by Moses from God, and left their cattle and servants out in the elements.
Faith always affects behavior. You will either act or not act based on what you really believe. You could tell immediately which Egyptians regarded the word of the Lord and which disregarded it based on what they did. So, with ourselves you can tell what we really believe by how we respond to the truths we read in the Word. If I believe something to be true, I will act accordingly. If I say I believe it but leave my cattle out in the elements, I didn't really believe.

Joshua 24:15

Joshua 24:15 "Choose you this day whom you will serve....."

I have always read this verse in the context of the time period as "Choose you THIS DAY....." meaning a day when you make a decision from which there's no turning back. A day when you make a revolutionary choice to follow Christ so that your life and choices will never be the same.

I heard the verse a different way tonight, as "Choose you THIS day....." . It seems like an inconsequential difference, but it is true that on each individual day we must choose who we will serve. I wonder what kind of difference it would make each day if we made a conscious committed choice that THIS day we would serve the Lord.