The Basics of Being Unbored
Bible Reading: Acts 20:32-35
My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. John 10:10
Here’s your assignment: Bust boredom. Break loose from the ordinary. So take a vote: Which of these activities would send the most electric shiver up your spine?
(a) Going tandem bungee jumping with your mom
(b) Letting a world-champion rifle marksman shoot an apple off your head
(c) Going to a camp with experiences in skyboarding and cliff rappelling
(d) Doing barrel rolls at Mach three in the backseat of a fighter jet
(e) Visiting a nursing home to volunteer your time playing checkers with the elderly
How ’bout that last one, huh?
Talk about it: What do you think of that last choice?
None of us signed up for a boring, empty, purposeless life. We all would like to be stuffed from head to toe with the fullness Jesus promises in John 10:10. But here’s the catch: We find that extreme excitement only when we put into practice the biblical principles that bring us true life.
Check out this astounding truth: The most fulfilled people in the world are those more concerned with giving than with getting.
The Bible consistently tells us it’s more blessed to give than to receive. Despite that, a habit of selfishness still lives inside of us. It says, “Take care of yourself first.” Listen to that lie, and life loses its zing. Yet if we can pull our attention off our own life and put it on others, we experience a brand of excitement we would never have expected. Like Jesus said, “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life” (Matthew 16:25).
Checkers might not be your favorite game. Senior citizens might not be your favorite part of the population. And nursing homes might not be your favorite place to visit. But finding a spot where you can serve others is the ultimate way to bust boredom. It’s a strategy that works for all of us.
Living the life Jesus mapped out for us is the one lifelong answer to our weariness. In fact, no one who genuinely follows Jesus ever gets bored! If you’re bored with life, Jesus wants to grab you by the hand and lead you into some way-better-than-bungee-jumping life experiences.
TALK: What do you think of helping others as a way to bust boredom?
PRAY: Jesus, show us new ways to follow you and serve others. Help us find the excitement you have planned for us.
ACT: Decide on a new way to give your time and attention to others. It’s your best bet for busting boredom!