In a society of instant gratification, instant access, and instant mashed potatoes, it's easy to get bored. I mean--what else is there to life if we have just about "everything we need" in an instant and at our fingertips? For example: Let's be honest with ourselves: So much of life is motivated by sex--and the sad truth is, there is so much sexual content available with little effort and is being consumed by millions.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
Perhaps the right question is...
WHAT IS THE ONE GREATEST THING?
...or even...
WHAT'S MISSING THEN?
As cliche as this might sound, the answer is Jesus. Yes, to some, boring old Jesus. And the truth is, He just might be boring--but not because He's changed, but because perhaps you decided to consume of the world and the world, resultantly, has consumed you.
With our heads at a worldly level--be it consumed by work, vocational pursuits, education, hobbies, preoccupation with friends or a particular relationship, pornography, sports, or whatever--it's not hard to see Jesus as boring when we view Him through that worldly lens.
Now, some of the things I listed above that can consume us are obviously bad (i.e. pornography). Hoever, not all of them are (i.e. work, education, sports). Not even the pursuit of a relationship or marriage is wrong. Those are examples of good things caused by the way God wired us and the desires He chose to build in us. They are beautiful things when done honorably, even if situations do not turn out the way we planned in long past.
Only would such a tense battle such as battling sexual immorality be easy had God decided not to put sexual desire in us. But there are all kinds of reasons he did put sexual desire in us that we wouldn't want to do without--and there's a right way to use that desire.
Well, there's a right way to use every God-given desire and the right use of them (meaning the effort and heartfelt action to use them rightly) can result in far better (NONT-boring!) effects in our lives than we might think!
How can we use each desire to seek the Lord? In a culture that seems to become more and more bored with life by the day, will we simply join them or will be instead use our very desire NOT to be bored to seek Him?
No, being a Christian is not easy. There is no "just-do-this" answer to anything. Simply reading your Bible for five minutes is not going to transform your life in an instant, but know this: God will transform you. He said He will not let His Word return void. And you know what that means? His Word will not return to Him having gone out into the earth without having affected someone--whether that be you or someone else or both.
- Can we replace just one--JUST ONE Facebook login to log in to God's Word and spend just 5 minutes with Him?
- Can we skip just one Twitter post to jot down a thought God impressed on us so we don't forget?
And look--it's so easy to read 1, 2, maybe 3 verses in God's Word instead of reading that your friend Nicole just made an omelet or your classmate, Ryan, from your college Algebra class just got a job. Nothing wrong with that--I'm into Facebook and those things--but let's give God 5 minutes--just 5 minutes--out of the hours of our days and we'll want more eventually. But today may not be that day. Just start with 5. It is so worth it to us!
Remember, there is no--zero, zip--of any kind of formula to praying or impressive approach we have to take to God. In fact, He'll have none of your trying to impress Him. He knows us because He's our Father and He just wants us to come to Him like children do--happy, crying, guilty, excited, injured, discouraged, hurt, messed up.
"The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack NO good thing."
~Psalm 34:10 (ESV)
