Question of the Week: How do you pray to address feelings of boredom or indifference?

Several years ago, I realized I needed to make sure I was addressing the thoughts of boredom and indifference. Gratitude was the only way out for me. I really woke up to this after a conversation with a Christian Science practitioner. She mentioned that many are grateful just to get out of bed each day! This was a life saver to me. I realized I needed to drop a self-centered sense of life and find joy in every moment. It was wonderful just to watch the birds splash around in our bird bath each day. Everything is truly a delight if we look at it the right way. Sooner or later through deep desire and prayer we all have the joy of learning this. Joanne, Red Bluff, California, United States

When praying about boredom or indifference, I seem to turn immediately to Love. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures on page 454, “Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action.” When I pray to understand that it is Love that is always motivating and lifting up my thought, it is very healing. This acknowledgement of God’s presence removes any thought that would say “I am bored, I have nothing to do, no purpose and I just don’t care what happens.” Love is constantly inspiring all of us with fresh ideas that lead us all to right activity filled with much love, hope and purpose. Heather, Suwanne, Georgia, United States

To me, a sense of indifference and boredom is a lack of love and enthusiasm. When I feel this way, I pray to be alert to and be more aware of where I can help or make a difference in the community or the world. Recently, while reading the local newspaper I was alerted to several issues that needed immediate help. I felt a deep sense of gratification in praying for those issues. I am sure many were seeking similar answers to bringing about a solution to these problems. Turning to God in prayer benefits everyone involved. A few weeks later the nightly news brought out that one of these issues was on their way to being solved. Praying for problems in the community and our world has helped me solve the problem of boredom and indifference. Patricia, Arroyo Grande, California, United States

I focus on the fact that God, or divine Consciousness, is eternally creating, expressing new and fresh thoughts constantly. I open my thought to be receptive to this freshness. If I am an expression of God, I am a part of the constantly evolving thought. I expect the boredom to cease because it is not possible to be prevented from the spiritual ideas that are freely given to all of us. Iris, Kingston, Washington, United States

A quote I have loved for years by Mary Baker Eddy is this, “Mind is the source of all movement, and there is no inertia to retard or check its perpetual and harmonious action” (Science and Health, p. 283). Right where there would seem to be material action (inertia) it really is null and void of doing anything to stop us from the action of Love. Boredom and indifference are the belief of material action, since there is no power, none but God which we reflect. God never stops a moment of loving and giving so there can be no dullness or indifference because we now are reflecting what he is doing and how He sees us. Carole, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States

“When the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress” (Science and Health, p. 426:8). This sentence helps me to direct my thought to the ever-active Christ, lifting up and out of the doldrums of thought to fresh, new healing ideas for our home, community, nation and world. Sue, Portland, Oregon, United States

For feelings of boredom and indifference this is what I do; I go outside and walk around and look at everything and say how beautiful it is and thank you to God for it. I acknowledge it is God’s world and that He made it for us to enjoy and appreciate and that since I am a child of God I am worthy to receive His good gifts. So I say thank you for the beautiful trees, the beautiful sky, the beautiful flowers. Thank you for the sparkling mica that we have in the sand in this area. Thank you for the beautiful creek and the happy joyous sound it makes. Thank you for the moss on the trees. Basically it is contemplation of the beauty of nature as God’s gift to us. It is a very strengthening prayer.

Then I repeat passages from the Bible about beauty and joy, as many as I can remember while walking outside. Then I give thanks for friends and family, house, car, and other possessions, for good health, for the ability to think and to read and write. This gets me all energized, and so I start doing a series of walking aerobic exercises to get the fog out of my head. Then I ask God to show me what to do with this day and how to do it. I give thanks to God for the work. Merci, Saluda, North Carolina, United States

Sometimes just opening the Bible is enough. I read wherever it opens to. Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy is another good book about God. I can open it and it leads me to new ideas. These ideas often open my eyes to new thoughts about God. If I’m bored, I usually have time to read more about God. I usually find answers to that boredom or indifference. It turns into something that applies just to you! Cindy, Ohio, United States

Boredom will stay miles and miles away if we occupy our thoughts and fill them with thoughts of God. Thinking and learning more and more about God, His beautiful creation, His infinite, tender and constant care for us, His children, brings so much happiness, peace, satisfaction and bounce in our life. Feelings of indifference will stay far, far away when we know that God is the Head—the Father and Mother—of His universal family, and we are all His beloved children. Then it comes so naturally to love and care and include all our brothers and sisters, whether here or abroad, in the bond of pure love and brotherly kindness. Nergish, Mumbai, India

Boredom and indifference indicate the belief that I can be separated from the purpose of the one Creator, that there can be a time when Love is absent and not being expressed through Its creation - the children of God. I can prayerfully affirm that Mind can only know the fulfilling purpose of creating the good, the holy, and the beautiful every moment and therefore, so does Mind’s reflection, man, know this with certainty and gratitude. Veronika, Bega Valley, Australia

As soon as I become bored, I silently pray to God directly, thanking him that he has a solution to offer. I then close my eyes waiting patiently, for an instinctive idea to come to mind. An answer does come. But before I proceed to follow, I examine the answer to make sure it’s good enough to really come from God. My final prayer is just a “Yes!” to God. Constance, Boonton, New Jersey, United States

Sometimes when I don’t know how to think or pray, it seems helpful to recall the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9) and how it begins, “Our Father...” and then ask Him how to think about a situation. B., Shadow Hills, California, United States

This world is so very rich in wonderful things, from the awesome beauty in nature, to good books to read, to an infinite variety of foods to enjoy. The possibilities of not being bored are endless! But I do find myself feeling bored if I allow myself to get into routines, like maybe driving the same way to places, or doing things in the same old way, or if I find myself doing things repetitiously. So I try to break out of those habits by being willing to change the scenery so to speak, to try new recipes, or change the routine. It takes work sometimes, but it does break me out of a sense of boredom and it’s really worth it! Sarah, North Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States

Just yesterday a friend told of taking a friend of hers to church and the woman said “It was boring.” So to see this Question today prompts me to reply. Now I see the claim of boredom as a heads up that we are missing something very important—Life! Indifference implies not caring and that is just not possible. My prayer is for more caring, more involvement, more participation, more love, sharing, giving. Joy! Karen, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Boredom and indifference might result from a sense of lack, or a mistaken sense of purpose. Such negation would have us believe that we can be separate from the reach and purpose of infinite Love, or the Christ activity. But by turning to God as omnipresent Mind, we discover that these negative feelings are not native to thought, or experience. When our focus remains God-centered, we are praying. Through this prayerful focus, boredom and indifference dissipate, bringing experience effortlessly in line with the divinely inspired activities of spontaneity, industry, joy, blessing. Steven, London, United Kingdom

In my home office, just above my computer, I have posted, “The bored create their own boredom.” This is what my (then) 12-year old grandson said as we talked over the phone one summer day. We had agreed that there are so many blessings God puts in every day that there is no time or reason to be bored. Boredom is about indifference and apathy, which distract us from recognizing the infinite possibilities in every circumstance. Also, I have realized that where the blessings aren’t obvious, we need not to give up and be bored; but instead, to look more closely to find the seeds of testimony. The testimony we are preparing to share is in witness to the continuity of the goodness of God. Sometimes in some circumstances, it would seem a big challenge to be just such a witness. It’s like being a spiritual sleuth, looking for clues that we’ve been promised are there. There is nothing boring about that! In fact, it’s quite and adventure! But, we always have a choice. “Choose you this day” (Joshua 24:15) blessings or boredom? Diane, Monroe, Louisiana, United States

When I was a little girl and I felt there was nothing “fun” to do, I would tell my mom “I’m bored!” She would look me straight in the eye and say “How can you be bored?! You could clean your room, wash the dishes. . .” I learned later on in life that the most seemingly mundane tasks could actually be made into a time of praying for others. All honest work and thought is prayer; to acknowledge it as such is a very powerful way to defeat those suggestions that we need to be personally entertained 24/7. God is the source of all true satisfaction and in Him there is no room for boredom or indifference. Chris, Medina, Ohio, United States

The opposite of boredom or disinterest would be enthusiasm. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek meaning “in God.” So, if we live in God’s consciousness, we must be enthusiastic. According to Webster.com, some of the definitions of enthusiasm are: “strong excitement of feeling” and “something inspiring zeal or fervor.”

What are boredom and disinterest? They usually stem from a belief that you’re separate from joy. Romans 8:35-38 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is no separation, no gulf, no lapse from, or return to God’s love. Karla, Los Angeles, California, United States

I tackle indifference to the needs of others outside my immediate family and friends by endeavoring to recognize that Love is ever-present including right where I am. Because I reflect Love, I can only be concerned and loving toward others. God/Love is not indifferent, so neither can I be. Jane, California, United States

Easy! Just take 5 minutes to think of (or write down) things you are grateful for. Just being grateful for having life is enough to help me out of a slump. Liz, California, United States

Having lived for 67 yrs. now and experiencing this many times, I have found that when in a state of apathy, not to worry. God will never abandon you. This is a good time to look inward and listen quietly. In fact be as quiet as you can, do not complain, do not be discouraged but remember the good things God has done in the past and thank Him. Cry out with your heart and watch God answer. You will be strengthened in faith each time and your roots will grow deeper. In some Christian sects this is called the “desert experience.” Learn to live in the desert because the spiritual life you are developing will take you through many battles. Judith, Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States

I go do something completely different than praying. Usually something I scheduled to do when I had time, but never had time. Having to concentrate on a physical activity seems to recharge the mental batteries, and to break the mesmeric, depressive grasp of boredom. Then I start on gratitude, and that lifts me back to normal. Carl, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

“Dear Lord God, help me to break from these feelings of boredom and indifference as they hang heavy upon me. Take these things out of my life once and for all and let me get closer to You. Amen.” Katie, Ravenswood, Illinois, United States

It’s important to try and stay alert at every minute that God is governing. What may seem like a period of boredom or indifference can be an opportune time to experience that “still small voice” (I Kings 19:12) communicating God’s love. Boredom is a human concept, which means that it always has the potential to be changed. Rafikka, New York, United States

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