Being bored at church is a real thing, y’all. There are just some Sundays where you are not fully there, or maybe the guest speaker isn’t your favorite, or maybe you tried a new church, and it just did not go well.
I know, because I’ve been there!
I have been through an entire church service, have a page full of notes (because they were on the screen) but have absolutely no idea what was actually said. I’ve also sat through an entire church service, not being able to concentrate at all, and all that’s on the page in my notebook are heart and flower doodles.
Confession- I stopped going to church for a season because I was learning more from my Beth Moore & Priscilla Shrier bible studies than I was going to Sunday service.
Yup, I admit it. But you know what? It is 10000000% okay.
It’s been eight years since I first started getting restless at church, and I’ve figured out a few ways to draw closer to Jesus and walk out of church learning something instead of feeling like I did not learn anything. (I say “feel” for a very specific reason that I’ll share a post on soon!)
So if you find yourself one Sunday morning, struggling to concentrate, give these a try!
- Online Commentaries – I know if you’re not paying attention at church, you most likely have your phone out. So why not use your phone and actually learn something on the passages that the pastor is trying to teach you about! Bible Hub and Bible Study Tools offer FREE online commentaries for you to use. So bookmark those pages for the moments you need them.
- Read and Reflect – Read the verses on your own multiple times and write down what stands out to you each time. Read through them at different paces because you’ll focus on something different every time. Underline, circle, and write down all your questions and comments about the passage. (P.s. If you need some journal prompts, check out A Deeper Pursuit Journal in the shop! It’s only $14.99 and FREE Shipping).
- Journal a Prayer – This one is the one I did a lot of at first. I find pages of prayers nestled between Sunday sermon notes when I flip through old journals because I would sit in service and write out my prayers when I couldn’t concentrate. I’d tell Jesus all the things on my heart, ask Him to speak to me, and share everything and anything with Him.
BONUS: Write out a worship song that you love- even if it’s just a few lines and reflect on why it touches your heart the way it does in the season of life you are going through!
Now, if you go weeks on end and are not paying attention to what’s being taught from the pulpit, then it may be time to search for a new church! That’s what happened to me, and I could not be more thankful for the switch I made! But if you love your church and are just going through a season, then I pray you’ll find these tips helpful!
Oh, and if anyone starts to judge you for not paying attention and doing your own thing tell them that C.S. Lewis started writing The Screwtape Letters (a must-read!) while he was bored in Sunday service. So who knows, you might end up with an iconic classic on your hands one day. 😉
