Boredom Is Healing for Your Soul
“I’m busy all the time,” a pastor announced to me in an upbeat tone. “And I love it!”
Maybe you relate. Busyness can undoubtedly appeal to our sense of purpose, make us feel like we belong, or keep us entertained.
Sadly, a few years later, that same pastor blew out morally and lost his church.
This moment of truth helped him get honest with me about his soul: “Growing my church was like a drug,” he confessed. “I miss being the one in charge and on stage. I miss leading the community. I’m bored.”
My friend never let himself get bored while working as a pastor. He’d work himself to exhaustion then collapse on the couch and binge on Netflix at night.
Ministry is stimulating. Preaching, casting vision, and leading outreaches boost our egos and excite our emotions. We are making a difference and getting noticed. It makes us feel important.
These meaningful activities serve God and help people — but they can also be a double-edged sword….
Ministry can make us feel close to God even when our hearts are distant.
Ministry can make us feel above others because they come to us for advice.
Ministry can make us feel more mature than we actually are because people respect and admire our leadership.
Ministry can make us feel powerful because God touches our words to draw others near to him.
But if we slow down long enough — to pay attention and be honest — we feel alone and insignificant inside. Just like everybody else.
One of the most dangerous traps for pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders is to forget they are human. It’s easy to downplay your brokenness, neglect your soul, and shortchange your family because your mission is so compelling.
So how can you avoid getting trapped by the underside of ministry?
The answer sounds silly and might surprise you — boredom is the therapy your soul needs.
You’ll only get bored if you set aside stimulation — including all work and productivity. This is when your real feelings come to the surface.
You’ll likely experience emptiness and loneliness. You might also feel anxious, depressed, angry, or resentful. It’s possible that insignificance strikes you and you realize you don’t like yourself very much.
Being bored on purpose probably doesn’t sound restful and refreshing. It can be painful to come face-to-face with your inner self.
But there’s a gift in the pain. It pushes you to get honest about your emotions, hurts, and real feelings toward God. This leads you to cry out to Abba and safe friends for the care you need. Getting raw and real in relationships (with God and others) allows grace to shape you into the healthy, whole, and loving image of Jesus.
Boredom might seem tumultuous at first — but it leads to a healing process that results in living and ministering from a restful posture.
Here are five suggestions from Soul Shepherding to help you disengage from stimulation and engage healing:
- When you feel bored, pray a short breath prayer instead of picking up your phone.
- Start your day by sitting silently and meditating on Scripture instead of checking your email.
- Talk to a spiritual director about your hurts instead of suppressing them through “being productive.”
- Step away from work for one week and join us at an Institute retreat to learn healthy rhythms or soul care with Jesus.
- Plan a Sabbatical for an extended time of healing, rest, and refreshment.
We’d love to journey with you! You can learn more about Soul Shepherding and contact us on our website.
This article is submitted by Soul Shepherding. Soul Shepherding is a Missio Nexus member. Member organizations can provide content to the Missio Nexus website. See how by clicking here.
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