Reflections on the joy of boredom

A fellow clergyman alerted me to the following article this morning. It's by Carolyn Y. Johnson and was published about a month ago. Ms. Johnson wrote:

The joy of boredom - The Boston Globe: "We are most human when we feel dull. Lolling around in a state of restlessness is one of life's greatest luxuries -- one not available to creatures that spend all their time pursuing mere survival. To be bored is to stop reacting to the external world, and to explore the internal one. It is in these times of reflection that people often discover something new, whether it is an epiphany about a relationship or a new theory about the way the universe works. Granted, many people emerge from boredom feeling that they have accomplished nothing. But is accomplishment really the point of life? There is a strong argument that boredom -- so often parodied as a glassy-eyed drooling state of nothingness -- is an essential human emotion that underlies art, literature, philosophy, science, and even love."

Strange, but I never quite thought of boredom that way. Now I grant you, I too am one of those people who feels he must be wasting his time if he's not always about something. That has been hitting me since I've stepped away from the never-ending busyness of shepherding a flock of God's people (I almost said sheep). As a pastor/shepherd of a growing congregation there was always a sermon to write, a Bible class to prepare, a meeting to attend, a couple in crisis, a member in the hospital and on and on. You get the picture. In other words, there was little time for boredom. In fact, I often longed for, but seldom found it. 

Now here I am, more than a half dozen years away from those demands and sometimes faced with boredom. That is to say, I have no one looking over my shoulder, no congregation expecting a sermon, no family in crisis awaiting counsel. Most of the time I'm free to make up my own schedule. I can go to bed when I want and stay there as long as I want. I can eat breakfast at 10:oo a.m. if I want or not. I am what is called in these postmodern times "retired." And many of my younger friends look with longing eyes on my freedoms. 

But--and here's the catch--I can't escape old habits. Boredom produces anxiety and guilt! Yes, you heard me right. I feel guilty because I'm not doing something productive. I'm driven by my shoulds!  I am, as I often told counselees, shoulding on myself.  I should be writing a letter. I should be calling a friend. I should be guiding my grandchildren. I should be taking on a part-time position as an assistant pastor somewhere. That is, after all, why I am on this earth: to love, care, help, serve, go, reach out, counsel, teach, rescue -- there must be a hundred or more other action verbs that have been a part of my life. 

Then along comes the above article from my young pastor-friend Carl. How helpful. How helpful to have time to be bored. How helpful to remember that I have been gifted with the time to reflect and ponder in depth upon the deeper meanings of Biblical words and not have to forever react to outside pressures. How helpful to have the time to enter my own private monastery, to go on retreat, to pursue some of my many interests, to read some books I've always wanted to read, to discover some teachings I hadn't considered. And yes, to pray, praise and give thanks for all those years of serving as a parish pastor and teacher, as well as the opportunities still before me.  

How wonderful also to have time to write articles, novels, and memories. How precious is the privilege to share my thoughts and experiences in letters and conversations with my children. How satisfying it is to have time to travel with my wife, to take camping trips with my grandchildren and to have extended visits with friends. 

As the boredom piece quoted says, we live in a driven world where we always feel we must be connected, connecting, contacting, going and doing. But we need those times of boredom, for therein not only comes creativity, but contact with the God who created us and set us free to be His children. 

King David's Psalm 46 has always been important to Lutherans. Martin Luther based his hymn "A Mighty Fortress" on it. In verse 10 the Lord of hosts says, "Be still and know that I am God." To be still (raphah in Hebrew) is to let go, relax, be quiet and stop trying to be in control of everything, everyone and every moment. It's only when we do that we can learn about the next part of that command: "and know that I am God." This kind of knowing (yadah in Hebrew) is the personal stuff of experience. Again and again this word is used in the Bible for the sexual bonding between husband and wife, e.g. Adam knew Eve and she conceived . . . It also refers to a deep certainty, a gut feeling, a confidence and a very personal experience. 

You cannot know God and who He is if you're always busy, going, contacting, running, accomplishing, climbing the corporate ladder or whatever. It takes time, down time, quiet time, boredom time if you will. It takes time to ponder His Word, to reflect upon it, turn it over and over in your heart and allow His Spirit to speak to you. In those moments you will find a peace and calmness often unknown in this crazy, driven world. 

Yes, there's a good reason to find joy in boredom.