The kingdom of Boredom

One weekend, I invited young teenagers in my village to joined me climbing Mount Singai at Bau (‘Bau’ is a place, not a smell). Few of them turned out and we set our journey early in the morning.  Once arrived I briefed them that we gonna climb up and do-nothing and enjoy nature. The trip was fine and we all enjoyed climbing very well but not so long until I realized that they don’t know what to do up there. My proposal to do-nothing and enjoy nature was foreign to them. The most alien words in their language was to do-nothing.  They don’t know what to do with ‘do nothing’. In other word; they were bored.

Boredom is the deadliest decease. We can’t reach it with a knife or with medicine. John D. Jess wrote in his book Coping with Anxiety, “People will do almost anything to escape it – drink, drug themselves, sell their bodies and souls, fling themselves into crazy causes, and torture themselves and other people – anything to escape the misery of being bored.” He then added, “Anyone who discovers a cure for that will do more to avert human tragedy than all of us doctors put together.”

Boredom is dangerous because it signifies lack of purpose and passion for anything meaningful. Yes, we passionate about watching football until late at night, playing video games until computer crash, follow-up every latest movies, face-up Facebook all day long or doing anything into excessive – but have you take a moment and ask yourself this question; is what I do now glorifying God? Is this meaningful? If your answer is ‘No’, then you might want to read further. If your answer is ‘Yes’, we’re done here. Thank you for your time.

The antidote to boredom is finding something purposeful and significant to do. My suggestion is by serving God. As you search for meaning by serving God, He’ll energize your spirit and guides you in the right direction. By serving others is serving God. Jesus declared, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40NIV). Even if you sweep the floor, cleaning the toilet or giving food for the poor with the attitude of serving others– you’ll never get bored.

“But how about the moment when I ‘do nothing’,” you might asked,”How I serve others in that?” Well, serving others doesn’t mean by being there. Take this do-nothing-moment by converting it to prayer moment or perhaps just rest – enjoy nature or just breathing – enjoy being. And when you’re done, re-energize, you have more focus intentionally serving others. Along the way, you might discover God’s purpose for you. "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10) I tell you, from that time on, you’ll never be bored!

Ronald A. Beers suggests, “Start by volunteering in a ministry at your local church, or find a hobby that helps you develop a skill. Then you will have something to look forward to each day. Whatever you do, search for the things that make you feel God’s pleasure – you’ll never be bored.”

“Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts,
in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.
Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent.” (Hebrew 6:11-12NLT) THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.