Stop It: Boredom

I am so bored with the complaint, "I'm bored!" It is amazing to me that our world of hundreds of TV channels, high speed internet, sophisticated home gaming systems, IPods and the IPad, has become uninteresting, not only to small children, but to adults as well. How is it possible that we can be so bored when there are so many ways to occupy our time and attention?

To be "a bore" has been an expression in the English language since the 18th century, referring to a person who was dull or uninteresting. Charles Dickens used the word "boredom" for the first time in the novel, The Bleak House, in 1852 (some theorize this was Dicken's way of expressing his views about his publisher, or his general attitude after writing his ninth novel). However boredom is an ancient concept referring to a lack of fascination and satisfaction with life and its activities.

While psychological studies have been done to understand the emotional response of being bored, it is my opinion that boredom is every much a philosophical result of a person's worldview, rather than a condition of one's emotions. People who are bored easily are so because few events and people captivate their interests. Activities and entertainment are used to fill time and provide some sense of excitement and purpose, but after a while, those become mundane and uninteresting.

So, before I bore you further with more questions and theories, let me tell you what I believe the cure is for boredom. Curing bored begins with accepting a worldview which believes that enjoying life is not about constant entertainment and rushes of adrenaline, but rather enjoying the richness and fullness of creation, even when doing nothing.

I realize there are those who just read this blog and said, "how boring." Each week, I preach to an audience where I know there are at least a handful who are bored before the message begins. However, before you write this blog off altogether, consider this cure for boredom: seek to be engaged, rather than entertained. Be more engaged in life's simple pleasures - in conversation with someone you can learn from, in contemplation of God's meaning for life, in participation of activities that actually make a difference in the world.

How can you stop from being bored? Stop being a bore, and quit depending upon artificial activities and fantasies from having preeminence in your life. Engage yourself with God, his world, and his people, and not only will the world become more interesting, but so will you.

"Stop It: The Blame Game"

If there is a mantra for people forty years and younger it is, "it's not my fault!" Whether it's poor job performance, participation on a sports team, or dealing with life issues, Gen X'ers and Gen Y'ers frequently want to blame someone or something else for their failings. This isn't a newly uncovered social discovery I'm sharing with you, but it is one that needs to be confronted.

Since I am not a social scientist, and have done no studies on this issue, I cannot tell you where this all came about. I can only conjecture that perhaps since the 1960's, our country has put so much emphasis on a child's self-esteem, that we have neglected personal responsibility in the raising of children. Whatever the reasons, there are many young adults today who are incapable of admitting blame, and taking responsibility for their mistakes. As a pastor, I have seen this affect everything from marriage difficulties, job dissatisfaction, to drug and alcohol dependency in today's 20 to 30-somethings.

All of us have negative and difficult situations to deal with in life. There are some people who have had devastating and tragic things happen to them, that are no fault of their own. What is our responsibility is how we respond to these adverse situations, and decide to live from that point forward.

So, in keeping with the spirit of this blog series, I'm not going to give complicated, psychological answers to change this behavior; all I'm going to simply say is: STOP IT! Stop blaming other people for your failings. Stop reacting to correction before you've actually listened to what is being said. Stop the attitude that you can do nothing wrong, and therefore, cannot be corrected by anyone. Stop the thinking that you are perfect, because you're not, and neither am I.

When Christians play "the blame game," it limits opportunities for growth. Hebrews 12:4-6 reads, "In ths all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through...So don't feel sorry for yourselves...My dear children, don't shrug off God's disciple, but don't be crushed by it either. It's the child he loves that he disciplines, the child he embraces, he also corrects. (The Message)"

Fellow believers, listen to the correction of God and God's people. It's not being done to make you feel badly, but rather to make you better! Be better today. Be people who are strong enough to accept blame, when necessary, and wise enough to learn from it.

STOP IT!

As a pastor, I listen to a lot of people who have problems. Some of these problems can be blamed upon the sinful realities of our world, but many are simply due to their own mistakes. For some time, I have been concerned with the inability of some people to own up to their sinfulness or self-pity and simply stop their destructive behaviors. So, over the next several weeks, I will be addressing various actions that people simply need to stop. It will be unapologetically blunt, honest, and open. It is not necessarily a reflection of issues that people in my church are currently dealing with, but rather the self-inflicted struggles I have witnessed inside and outside of the church. In case you think I'm being pompous and judgemental, some of these will be issues that I've struggled with in my life and need to stop doing as well.

So, if you are interested in knowing how to make your life better, I encourage you to read the postings over the next several weeks. Until then, check out and enjoy the "Stop It!" clip featuring one of my favorite comedians, Bob Newhart.

Bob Newhart-Stop It!!