prayer for boredom issue

[thelord's_pearl]

Hi all, I really wanted prayers for my boredom issue. Almost everyday I'm bored. My mom works and my sister and her husband are elsewhere in town and I don't have the motivation or feel safe going there to visit and she has a lot of things to do at home that she can do so I stay home and sleep and after wake up and do exercise from home and wash the dishes but I don't have other things I enjoy doing or that I know of or that I'm motivated enough to do for the whole day so I'm bored. Ever since I was on one of my psychiatric medications I've been unmotivated and sleeping a lot. I'm trying to withdraw from it bc something else natural helped me so I don't think I need that medication at all but it will take about 2 years to finish withdrawing from it and I want to end the boredom issue now, not wait until 2 years later so I feel stuck around this circle of things. Thanks for any prayers!

 

[Angelina]

Praying for you sister @thelord's_pearl Perhaps you can find a BoC to join? Blessings and Peace!

 

[Raccoon1010]

Praying for you to find a hobby that you enjoy. I work on physics and do software programming, those are my hobbies. My meds also take away my motivations. But I'm able to sit and do things at the computer well enough. I go for walks and exercise my back also.

 

[amigo de christo]

Stir thyself up . That was a reminder from the early church .
Pearl start praying more often and read the bible as well .
Plus if a few of you can read it together and pray together this will help as well .
You shall be prayed for as well .

 

[Nancy]

Hi all, I really wanted prayers for my boredom issue. Almost everyday I'm bored. My mom works and my sister and her husband are elsewhere in town and I don't have the motivation or feel safe going there to visit and she has a lot of things to do at home that she can do so I stay home and sleep and after wake up and do exercise from home and wash the dishes but I don't have other things I enjoy doing or that I know of or that I'm motivated enough to do for the whole day so I'm bored. Ever since I was on one of my psychiatric medications I've been unmotivated and sleeping a lot. I'm trying to withdraw from it bc something else natural helped me so I don't think I need that medication at all but it will take about 2 years to finish withdrawing from it and I want to end the boredom issue now, not wait until 2 years later so I feel stuck around this circle of things. Thanks for any prayers!

Sister, I am praying for you, I have been bored for a veeeery long time now and am fighting against all the voices and thoughts of self hatred! All I want is to put my hands to His use while working directly with the disadvantaged. I had a wonderful 5 years at a place I so loved, and it is now a place I had to pull myself away from because of the way the other volunteers treat people...they are Christians IN NAME ONLY as they act like the unsaved do. I did feel that God was drawing me away from there for awhile but, I couldn't let go just yet as I knew I would find myself flailing but, you will most certainly be in my prayers for an outlet that will glorify Christ! I pray for a door to open for you and as Angelina mentioned, perhaps you might find a good local body of believers to spend time with.
God is with you!

 

[thelord's_pearl]

Sister, I am praying for you, I have been bored for a veeeery long time now and am fighting against all the voices and thoughts of self hatred! All I want is to put my hands to His use while working directly with the disadvantaged. I had a wonderful 5 years at a place I so loved, and it is now a place I had to pull myself away from because of the way the other volunteers treat people...they are Christians IN NAME ONLY as they act like the unsaved do. I did feel that God was drawing me away from there for awhile but, I couldn't let go just yet as I knew I would find myself flailing but, you will most certainly be in my prayers for an outlet that will glorify Christ! I pray for a door to open for you and as Angelina mentioned, perhaps you might find a good local body of believers to spend time with.
God is with you!

Nancy, I am so sorry the place you so loved is now a place you have to pull yourself away from. And I am so sorry to hear you are bored too. I will pray for you. Thanks for the prayers everyone!

 

[quietthinker]

Hi all, I really wanted prayers for my boredom issue. Almost everyday I'm bored. My mom works and my sister and her husband are elsewhere in town and I don't have the motivation or feel safe going there to visit and she has a lot of things to do at home that she can do so I stay home and sleep and after wake up and do exercise from home and wash the dishes but I don't have other things I enjoy doing or that I know of or that I'm motivated enough to do for the whole day so I'm bored. Ever since I was on one of my psychiatric medications I've been unmotivated and sleeping a lot. I'm trying to withdraw from it bc something else natural helped me so I don't think I need that medication at all but it will take about 2 years to finish withdrawing from it and I want to end the boredom issue now, not wait until 2 years later so I feel stuck around this circle of things. Thanks for any prayers!

Talk to me bugalugs. Think of some interesting questions. Who knows what'll come out in the wash?

 

[Randy Kluth]

Hi all, I really wanted prayers for my boredom issue. Almost everyday I'm bored. My mom works and my sister and her husband are elsewhere in town and I don't have the motivation or feel safe going there to visit and she has a lot of things to do at home that she can do so I stay home and sleep and after wake up and do exercise from home and wash the dishes but I don't have other things I enjoy doing or that I know of or that I'm motivated enough to do for the whole day so I'm bored. Ever since I was on one of my psychiatric medications I've been unmotivated and sleeping a lot. I'm trying to withdraw from it bc something else natural helped me so I don't think I need that medication at all but it will take about 2 years to finish withdrawing from it and I want to end the boredom issue now, not wait until 2 years later so I feel stuck around this circle of things. Thanks for any prayers!

One of the best psychological remedies is work--to work your way out of stifling, repressive experiences. You will atrophy if you don't work. Your mind will get weak, and your body will be repulsed by physical routines that seem mundane and without much purpose.

You can trick yourself into believing work is useful. You can use money as a goal, to get you going. You can see if you can achieve certain things that make you feel as if you're serving God. You can post things here and elsewhere to encourage others. That is a ministry. That is working for God. And that will help you not to atrophy, but instead to develop spiritual muscle.

God does regularly put us into these valleys of despair and confusion, where we can't seem to beat ourselves out of a paper bag, where we are unmotivated and weak. These are times of testing.

But this can also serve to motivate us, to use patience as a goal to be achieved. Eventually, a new pursuit will make itself available, if you are willing to try things.

The Bible says we can make plans, but He orders the steps. Just be willing to try things that you like, but depend on God to see whether He will make it work or not. Gradually, you'll find a pattern to your life, and recognize God is blessing you going in that direction. It will cure your boredom for all time.

Prov 16.9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

 

[quietthinker]

One of the best psychological remedies is work--to work your way out of stifling, repressive experiences. You will atrophy if you don't work. Your mind will get weak, and your body will be repulsed by physical routines that seem mundane and without much purpose.

You can trick yourself into believing work is useful. You can use money as a goal, to get you going. You can see if you can achieve certain things that make you feel as if you're serving God. You can post things here and elsewhere to encourage others. That is a ministry. That is working for God. And that will help you not to atrophy, but instead to develop spiritual muscle.

God does regularly put us into these valleys of despair and confusion, where we can't seem to beat ourselves out of a paper bag, where we are unmotivated and weak. These are times of testing.

But this can also serve to motivate us, to use patience as a goal to be achieved. Eventually, a new pursuit will make itself available, if you are willing to try things.

The Bible says we can make plans, but He orders the steps. Just be willing to try things that you like, but depend on God to see whether He will make it work or not. Gradually, you'll find a pattern to your life, and recognize God is blessing you going in that direction. It will cure your boredom for all time.

Prov 16.9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

hmmmm, I have doubts about God putting us in these places.

 

[Randy Kluth]

hmmmm, I have doubts about God putting us in these places.

How long have you been a Christian? Sometimes it takes many years for us to be able to look back and make sense of what God was doing.

 

[quietthinker]

How long have you been a Christian? Sometimes it takes many years for us to be able to look back and make sense of what God was doing.

50 yrs. I think it is Christian tradition that says God tests us. I think it is the Devil who is the accuser who throws our shortcomings (perceived or no) into our face, then makes us think it is God doing it for whatever reason, one being, to test us.

Sure we will have tests but doubt it's God.

 

[Randy Kluth]

50 yrs. I think it is Christian tradition that says God tests us. I think it is the Devil who is the accuser who throws our shortcomings (perceived or no) into our face, then makes us think it is God doing it for whatever reason, one being, to test us.

Sure we will have tests but doubt it's God.

Wow, we're in the same ballpark. I was raised a Christian in sort of a "nominal" Christian denomination. But I've been serving Christ actively for over 50 years myself.

I just can't see how you can fail to recognize that *everything* that happens to us comes through the will of God? Do you really believe that all of the negative things in your life happened at a time when God was weak and couldn't stop Satan from harming you?

Don't make the mistake of thinking God's "tests" are the same as "temptations." God tempts nobody to sin, like Satan does. God doesn't throw extravagant lures out there to appeal to us in our weakest times.

But does He test us? I'll let the Scriptures speak to this....

Exo 20.20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
Deut 8.2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Deut 13.3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Judg 2.21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.”

I will say this. Sometimes our own carnal, sinful decisions produce results that are quite negative. And I think God uses the consequences of our bad decisions to test us, to see if our hearts are really for His will or for our own will. You think?

 

[quietthinker]

Wow, we're in the same ballpark. I was raised a Christian in sort of a "nominal" Christian denomination. But I've been serving Christ actively for over 50 years myself.

I just can't see how you can fail to recognize that *everything* that happens to us comes through the will of God? Do you really believe that all of the negative things in your life happened at a time when God was weak and couldn't stop Satan from harming you?

Don't make the mistake of thinking God's "tests" are the same as "temptations." God tempts nobody to sin, like Satan does. God doesn't throw extravagant lures out there to appeal to us in our weakest times.

But does He test us? I'll let the Scriptures speak to this....

Exo 20.20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
Deut 8.2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Deut 13.3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Judg 2.21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.”

I will say this. Sometimes our own carnal, sinful decisions produce results that are quite negative. And I think God uses the consequences of our bad decisions to test us, to see if our hearts are really for His will or for our own will. You think?

ok ok, where do I start Randy? I'll dive into the deep end I doubt God needs to test us to know whether we love him or not....he knows more about my heart than I do. So what do I do with these scriptures? Firstly, the Hebrews including Moses had a view of God as an 'uber Pharaoh'. They had no other reference point which they could get their head around....in fact, all the OT prophets had limitations in understanding around this matter.

Along comes Jesus. He opens a view of God that no other 'visionary' had ever seen. He tells us God is just like him. Soooo, Moses wrote, 'love your neighbour and hate your enemy' ....and it was demonstrated by the genocide and selfishness engaged by the nation.
Jesus comes along and demonstrates as well as says, 'love your enemy and do good to those who treat you poorly' ...Wow!

There are many texts that demonstrate this so I won't labour it.

God is not weak as we see weakness. In fact, what we see as weakness, he considers strength. 'Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God' they taunted him with; something he was well able to accomplish but no, he chose to hang there and let men and demons do their worst, he would rather die than kill or display any force that would have them licking his boots. Men saw this as weak and defeated yet God has other designs.....designs consistent with his character......of gentleness, even with his 'enemies'

The testing we are subject to is that of, will we trust/believe God and his affection for us declared in Jesus or will we doubt him and trust the barrage of voices which tell us 'your just a piece of shit' and 'you weak hypocrite' and so on.

I have come to learn that God is trustworthy and I can lean on his promises even when I feel/see myself as unworthy. This has been an immense fountain of peace and security for me.

I've tried to include a link to a podcast interview with William Paul Young titled 'The beautiful pursuit' but this site won't allow the transfer. I find it well worth a listen. You can find it on his personal site, Interviews - Wm. Paul Young if you're curious?

 

[Randy Kluth]

ok ok, where do I start Randy? I'll dive into the deep end I doubt God needs to test us to know whether we love him or not....he knows more about my heart than I do. So what do I do with these scriptures? Firstly, the Hebrews including Moses had a view of God as an 'uber Pharaoh'. They had no other reference point which they could get their head around....in fact, all the OT prophets had limitations in understanding around this matter.

Along comes Jesus. He opens a view of God that no other 'visionary' had ever seen. He tells us God is just like him. Soooo, Moses wrote, 'love your neighbour and hate your enemy' ....and it was demonstrated by the genocide and selfishness engaged by the nation.
Jesus comes along and demonstrates as well as says, 'love your enemy and do good to those who treat you poorly' ...Wow!

There are many texts that demonstrate this so I won't labour it.

God is not weak as we see weakness. In fact, what we see as weakness, he considers strength. 'Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God' they taunted him with; something he was well able to accomplish but no, he chose to hang there and let men and demons do their worst, he would rather die than kill or display any force that would have them licking his boots. Men saw this as weak and defeated yet God has other designs.....designs consistent with his character......of gentleness, even with his 'enemies'

The testing we are subject to is that of, will we trust/believe God and his affection for us declared in Jesus or will we doubt him and trust the barrage of voices which tell us 'your just a piece of shit' and 'you weak hypocrite' and so on.

I have come to learn that God is trustworthy and I can lean on his promises even when I feel/see myself as unworthy. This has been an immense fountain of peace and security for me.

I've tried to include a link to a podcast interview with William Paul Young titled 'The beautiful pursuit' but this site won't allow the transfer. I find it well worth a listen. You can find it on his personal site, Interviews - Wm. Paul Young if you're curious?

You're right that God displayed a kind of "weakness" on the cross, but that obviously isn't what I meant. I meant that God is infinitely stronger than Satan, even when He displays an apparent "weakness," in order to forgive men.

But laying that aside, you begin with the common misconception of a divide between OT and NT Gods, which of course is illogical. There can only be one unchanging God, from OT to NT. "I the Lord do not change," we read in the Bible.

So there was none of this, "I'll try this 1st with the Hebrews, and when that doesn't work, I'll try something through Christ that does work." No, Christ preexisted as God, the Word, in the OT, and was already using OT images of eternal atonement, yet to be given.

There is complete consistency from OT to NT, from Israel to the Church. There was no "progressive direction" from OT modes of worship to NT worship, except that one was designed to bring something eternal that begin with something purely temporal. The God available to the Hebrews is the same God given to the Gentiles--it's just that we all now have a basis for permanent redemption.

But what did you do with all of the quotes from Scriptures that *prove* that God tested Israel? You just deny it?? The fact is, there is free will in humanity, and God wants Man to respond to Him willfully.

And so, yes, He does in fact test Man. He did in fact test Israel to know how deep their love for Him was. He only accepts into His Kingdom those who are willing to repent of their sins.

When we sin He must prove that we have a greater spirituality below the surface of our own artificial carnality. He must prove this by His own plan and purpose.

 

[Nancy]

You're right that God displayed a kind of "weakness" on the cross, but that obviously isn't what I meant. I meant that God is infinitely stronger than Satan, even when He displays an apparent "weakness," in order to forgive men.

But laying that aside, you begin with the common misconception of a divide between OT and NT Gods, which of course is illogical. There can only be one unchanging God, from OT to NT. "I the Lord do not change," we read in the Bible.

So there was none of this, "I'll try this 1st with the Hebrews, and when that doesn't work, I'll try something through Christ that does work." No, Christ preexisted as God, the Word, in the OT, and was already using OT images of eternal atonement, yet to be given.

There is complete consistency from OT to NT, from Israel to the Church. There was no "progressive direction" from OT modes of worship to NT worship, except that one was designed to bring something eternal that begin with something purely temporal. The God available to the Hebrews is the same God given to the Gentiles--it's just that we all now have a basis for permanent redemption.

But what did you do with all of the quotes from Scriptures that *prove* that God tested Israel? You just deny it?? The fact is, there is free will in humanity, and God wants Man to respond to Him willfully.

And so, yes, He does in fact test Man. He did in fact test Israel to know how deep their love for Him was. He only accepts into His Kingdom those who are willing to repent of their sins.

When we sin He must prove that we have a greater spirituality below the surface of our own artificial carnality. He must prove this by His own plan and purpose.

Good stuff brother,
It seems clear that God does allow Satan to tempt us, He allowed Satan to tempt Jesus! Of course He does not tempt us-He KEEPS us from it by giving us a way out of sin, every time, but will use Satan's attacks, the world and our own flesh to "test" us.
Boy it's a rocky ride!

 

[Randy Kluth]

Good stuff brother,
It seems clear that God does allow Satan to tempt us, He allowed Satan to tempt Jesus! Of course He does not tempt us-He KEEPS us from it by giving us a way out of sin, every time, but will use Satan's attacks, the world and our own flesh to "test" us.
Boy it's a rocky ride!

Thank you sister. Too true!

 

[quietthinker]

But laying that aside, you begin with the common misconception of a divide between OT and NT Gods, which of course is illogical. There can only be one unchanging God, from OT to NT. "I the Lord do not change," we read in the Bible.

The inconsistency is not with God, it is with men and their understanding of God.....and it was men who wrote the testaments.

The whole 'proving' caper is an exercise in man's ego. It's all in his own head. If God were to 'prove' us as you suggest we would all miserably fail. The whole 'proving' mindset ultimately comes down to one's own works and lack of trust that God is well able to perform that which he promised. A bit like Peter when he walked on the water; he was willing, Jesus said come and he walked yet when he distrusted the invitation, down he went like a stone......and then again, when he called for help (because he trusted) it was there for him.

 

[Randy Kluth]

The inconsistency is not with God, it is with men and their understanding of God.....and it was men who wrote the testaments.

The whole 'proving' caper is an exercise in man's ego. It's all in his own head. If God were to 'prove' us as you suggest we would all miserably fail. The whole 'proving' mindset ultimately comes down to one's own works and lack of trust that God is well able to perform that which he promised. A bit like Peter when he walked on the water; he was willing, Jesus said come and he walked yet when he distrusted the invitation, down he went like a stone......and then again, when he called for help (because he trusted) it was there for him.

I think you're preaching "doctrine," without understanding the issues here. When you say that "we would all miserably fail the test" would you say that Joseph failed when he ran away from Potiphar's wife? Would you say that Daniel failed when God's angel said he was "highly respected?" Gen 39; Dan 9.23

You are talking about Man's ability to be saved by his own works apart from Christ's atonement for his sins! You are talking about Paul arguing for how widespread sin is in a cross-section of the human race! Rom 10.3

Again, you are ignoring--completely ignoring, the quotes from the Bible I gave you. I'm starting to think that you've done 50 years of ignoring certain truths?

Do you not believe in biblical authority? Why is it concerning to you that flawed men wrote the Scriptures? You think that because they're flawed they can't write down reliable truths from God?

 

[quietthinker]

I think you're preaching "doctrine," without understanding the issues here. When you say that "we would all miserably fail the test" would you say that Joseph failed when he ran away from Potiphar's wife? Would you say that Daniel failed when God's angel said he was "highly respected?" Gen 39; Dan 9.23

You are talking about Man's ability to be saved by his own works apart from Christ's atonement for his sins! You are talking about Paul arguing for how widespread sin is in a cross-section of the human race! Rom 10.3

Again, you are ignoring--completely ignoring, the quotes from the Bible I gave you. I'm starting to think that you've done 50 years of ignoring certain truths?

Do you not believe in biblical authority? Why is it concerning to you that flawed men wrote the Scriptures? You think that because they're flawed they can't write down reliable truths from God?

Men in the OT write from their perspective just as you do. As you know, the perspective you had 50 yrs ago is not necessarily the one you have today. No different to the Prophets.

Anyway, you are free to hold any perspective you want to. If you feel God is going to or is testing you, good luck, I hope you pass whatever test. For me, my security is not dependent on failing or passing anybody's test. I've learn't that God's love for me doesn't make me jump through hoops.....men do that.

An aside.....do you make your children jump through hoops? test them? and if they fail, what do you do then? disown them?

Because we have these illustrious records of Joseph and Daniel, do we suppose they never sinned/failed? The record tells us Daniel was confessing his sin when the angel visited. Do you think Joseph could have been a bit presumptuous rocking up at his brothers with his fancy coat on......adding to the already dim view they had of him?

David was for lack a better expression a scoundrel.....he steals someone else's wife because he gets the hots for her, has her husband killed to get him out of the way as well as killing thousands of other men, yet God calls him a man after his own heart.

We need God's perspective on how these things work not our own punny navel gazing.

The challenges we are faced with are for our growth in understanding. I doubt it's to gain brownie points with God.

 

[quietthinker]

Good stuff brother,
It seems clear that God does allow Satan to tempt us, He allowed Satan to tempt Jesus! Of course He does not tempt us-He KEEPS us from it by giving us a way out of sin, every time, but will use Satan's attacks, the world and our own flesh to "test" us.
Boy it's a rocky ride!

Why make God ultimately responsible for temptations? .....Ahhhh, the subtlety of the Devil! ....gets in your head and turns the view so that God cops the blame and has us on the back foot all the time. We need to wake up to his game!