Praying for Boredom

 

"Dad, I'm bored," our 11 year old son said, as we got out of our vehicle.

This seems to be a motto that Elliot lives by and truly, it is discouraging for those who face the Everest-like challenge of keeping him entertained.  

"Thou canst not be bored yet," I replied, somewhat severely.  "Speak of this to me in five minute when thy 'Bored Meter' is at 11 and I will discuss it further with thee.  In the meantime, perhaps thou shalt see a Gladiator kill a Mastodon."

"I'm still bored," he replied.

"My dearest Elliot," I spake unto him.  "I have read within a book something that thou mightest learn from.  For, it is said among the sages that when a Man expresses that he is bored, he is expressing dissatisfaction with himself.  Therefore, the solution to thy boredom is self-improvement, not to foist upon other thy difficulty with self-satisfaction."

This long oration may have made Elliot's father feel better about the situation, but it did little assuage Elliot's dissatisfaction with his circumstances.

There have been times when I have experienced boredom, just like my son.  At times this was related to waiting on others.  Other times it had more to do with my lack of interest in activities that were ongoing.

I have discovered something important.  It is in these moments of silence that God speakest best.  It is in the minutes and hours when I am waiting and even my cell phone does not work, that I can best focus on Him.  Perhaps, He is speaking all the time, but it takes boredom to let me hear Him.

God speaks to us in a still, small voice.

Mayhap we fill our lives with "important things" that are only static on the Phone Line of Heaven.  It is when we are bored that this static is eliminated.

It becomes us to be thankful, even for those moments of shear, unadulterated boredom.  It is in these times that we can actually hear the divine voice above the chaos of every day living.