“And the more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.”
Boredom is becoming a lost art. The distractions and mediums for entertainment that are at our disposal at any moment continue to grow with each passing day. We are addicted to this constant stimulation. Truthfully we need to make room for boredom in our lives.
Boredom allows us to practice gratitude for the little things and it allows us to take time out of our lives so that the truth we learn can begin to take root in our hearts. I think that God opens the door for boredom when we embrace the possibility for quiet in our lives. Even for me, as an introvert, this is not easy. Enjoying silence is something that I have to actively try to do. I would much rather listen to music or turn on a movie to dispel the silence in my life.
Silence is uncomfortable but I think Blaise Pascal was onto something when he wrote, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” There is a reason for silence. Some of us are more comfortable with it than others. However, it brings a chance to step back and reflect on what is going on in our lives. It brings fresh perspective and new ideas. It is a part of the rule and order that God desires for us so that His truth can help us to run wild.
I think that boredom and silence can have an intense connection in our lives. In truth, I think that we are afraid of the two. We do not like the emptiness commonly attached with those experiences. They make us feel incomplete and that is not enjoyable. However, this emptiness allows us to be filled. These feelings make room for creativity and for a refreshing of our hearts and minds.
Embracing these opportunities in our lives to be bored builds our resilience and forces us to deal with the places that we do not like to see in ourselves. It gives us a moment to truly think, rather than to just move from task to task. This ability brings clarity to our lives. When clarity comes, truth can permeate our actions, allowing us to grow.
When we grow, we begin to gain confidence in our identity. Brennan Manning says that you should “define yourself radically as one beloved by God.” I believe that the more we let silence infiltrate our lives, the more that we begin to believe this about ourselves. This sets our soul free to run wild in His love. Do not run from silence. Silence opens our soul to accept the identity that only God can write on our hearts. Silence sets us free.