The Case For Boredom

Society portrays the notion that the best way to deal with negative emotions is to numb them. Trust me, there is a time and place for distractions, but something that the Lord has been showing me is that it’s okay to feel negative emotions; for if we didn’t have negative emotions, we would have no reason to long for the perfection of heaven. Negative emotions don’t have to keep us stuck; instead, we can allow them to push us closer to Christ and the life He wants us to live. 

One “negative” emotion that I think everyone has experienced is boredom. I’ve felt it a few times this summer, and I’ve recently seen quite a few people be open about their boredom as well. For me, admitting that I am bored is quite a vulnerable thing to do, so I’m encouraged when other people admit to feeling this as well. When we look at boredom through a negative lens, it points to the notion we are lacking in some way. But the truth is, we are ALL lacking in some way. It is our lack (aka weakness) that leads us to Christ to begin with. Honestly, it is lack that leads us to all relationships and good things in life. If there was no bad, how would we know what good is? To deny that you are lacking in some way or to despise the feeling of boredom is to push away possibly one of the greatest gifts God has given us. If we were completely whole and complete on our own, we wouldn’t need friendships, romantic relationships, parents, food, water, etc. Basically, we wouldn’t be human. Only God is the one who is above boredom, lacks no good thing, is above limits, and knows no bounds.

Boredom can give way to some incredible things if we let it. For instance, boredom can lead to the start of new hobbies, creative endeavors, projects, and so much more. Boredom can also lead to deeper relationships with others. I mean think about it: when you are tired of being by yourself, you typically reach out to a friend to see if they want to hang out. Or maybe you tune into a popular TV series, which allows you to bond deeper with your friends and family as you discuss it later on. That's what happened to me when I watched Twilight for the first time over Christmas break.

Honestly, I think God is a fan of boredom. It reveals what’s truly going on in our hearts and can uncover our deepest desires. It reminds us of our weaknesses and allows us to lean on others and the Lord for advice, counsel, laughter, community, love, comfort, and so much more.

When you're bored, it's easy to start believing half-truths about yourself and your situation. For instance, I think it’s easy to believe the lie that having a best friend is the cure for boredom. Yes, friends can be excellent company, but even your closest friend will fail you at times. I can speak to this first-hand. I quite literally have a built-in best friend; yet, I still get bored sometimes.

It's also tempting to believe that having a boyfriend is the cure for boredom. Yes, a romantic relationship can definitely add to your life, but several of my friends who are in healthy relationships still admit to feeling lonely at times.

For the people that are already in relationships, I’m sure it is easy to believe that getting married is the cure for boredom. Or if you're already married, you might be tempted to think that having a child is the cure for boredom. A lady I know recently had a baby and shared a quote that said: “Maternity leave is the most busy-bored, happy-sad you’ll ever be, while also the most tired you’ve ever been. It's the farthest thing from a vacation and the closest thing to a mental breakdown. Idk how else to describe it. It’s a weird time.”

At the end of the day, you have to find contentment no matter where you are. Although relationships, hobbies, and careers are all beautiful parts of life, none of these can shield you from feeling negative emotions. There are always going to be seasons of life that are more exciting and seasons of life that are more slow. This isn't meant to be discouraging; it's meant to encourage you that you are not alone!

One of my favorite social media influencers, Jeanine Amapola, recently married her dream guy and released her very first book. Because of these two major life events, her schedule has been packed since last June. However, now that everything has started to slow down, she admits to feeling a bit lackluster. I am glad she is opening up about this because it's so relatable. It's dangerous to base your happiness on your busy schedule because things will eventually slow down, and you have to learn to be okay with that. In fact, you can be more than okay in every circumstance when you allow Christ's power to cover you. I've had to learn this the hard way.

Surely by now, I’ve convinced you that each stage of life brings both positive and negative emotions. That's the beauty of life and the joy of being a human. The Lord gave us boundaries for a reason, and He says that they are pleasant (Psalm 16:6). Why? Because they give us a reason to hope for heaven and the space to spend time doing things that bring us joy.

If you get really bored one day, consider enrolling in a biochemistry class like I currently am. You’ll probably realize that you’d rather be bored haha. In all seriousness though, an idea for something you can do if you have some free time is to write out specific prayers. I am someone who prays pretty frequently, but it’s not often that I take the time to pray specific prayers over my future, my life, etc. When we bring our specific requests to God, we get to see if they are actually God’s will for us or not. Another boredom-buster is Bible reading. My guess is that you probably haven’t read all of the Bible, but even if you have, there is always something new to learn from God’s word. As I quoted in my Valedictorian speech, “faith will give you something to work towards and believe in when you have nothing else.” Even more than that, it is our faith that will grant us access into the gates of Heaven one day. 

I hope this blog changed your perspective on boredom, and I pray that you choose to use your boredom to bring light into the world rather than destruction upon yourself. Remember what Romans 6 says:

Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love,

Breanna Chavez

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