Some Causes Of Spiritual Boredom

Are we bored with worship to God? Do we believe the church with which we assemble is spiritually dead? Do we view the worship of others as lifeless? Do we feel empty, as though God is far from us?

It is entirely possible that the church of which we are part is dead, spiritually speaking. The church at Sardis was spiritually dead (Revelation 3:1). It’s also true that our worship can become a mere formality without thought and meaning.

Obviously, there are boring sermons, ritual prayers, and non-inspirational singing. This is true because I have set through some of the above, and have also observed folks sleeping through sermons and rushing out of the assembly even before the final “Amen.” For these folks, there surely must be more stimulating and enjoyable things awaiting them outside the doors of the church building.

It’s also possible that the cause of spiritual boredom may not be with the church or worship — it may be us. Spiritual boredom can be the result of a lack of spirituality, manifest in an ungodly life. The person who finds worship lifeless, may be wanting something other than what God wants and may be subjectively viewing, in others, a mere reflection of his own emptiness.

Yes, there’s no question that true worship (John 4:23-24) must involve the expression of human emotions such as love, compassion, joy, guilt, and sorrow. We feel these emotions at different times during our worship to God, and they must be sincerely expressed. I cannot truly worship with my spirit and not have various feelings of emotion.

However, let us be careful, lest we equate true spiritual worship with mere emotional display.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets