5 Things to Do When You’re Bored in Church Perhaps the priest or minister is droning on, you’ve not had enough sleep, or you’ve reached a crisis of faith. Here are a few helpful tips to redirect your attention to spiritual matters.

 Faith & Prayer

5 Things to Do When You’re Bored in Church

Perhaps the priest or minister is droning on, you’ve not had enough sleep, or you’ve reached a crisis of faith. Here are a few helpful tips to redirect your attention to spiritual matters.

Let’s face it, sometimes we all get bored during mass or church services, no matter how devout we may be. Perhaps the priest or minister is droning on, you’ve not had enough sleep, or you’ve reached a crisis of faith. Following are a few helpful tips to redirect your attention to spiritual matters.

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Pray For the Priest or Minister

The person leading your congregation is human and has bad days and lack of inspiration, just like anyone else. Say a heartfelt prayer for this person and take a few minutes to focus on the lesson or point your leader is trying to make. Even if you can’t concentrate on the words being said, reflect on the purpose of the sermon and how it applies to your life.

Pray For the People in the Congregation

Going to church is about taking part in a community of people who share your faith. If you’re bored or distracted, pray for the people around you. Each one of you is on a personal faith journey with unique struggles and challenges, and we can all use some extra prayers. Observe a few members of the congregation sitting nearby and reflect on their good qualities. Notice how the young mother sitting next to you is especially gentle and loving with her children. The older man in front of you always smiles and shakes your hand in greeting when you arrive. Seeing the good in others can help focus your attention to spiritual matters.

Look at Boredom as a Challenge

If you’re frequently bored and restless at church, perhaps God is challenging you to learn more about your faith. Take some time to think about how much effort you are putting into your spiritual life. If you’re only spending an hour or two at church on Sunday, think about ways that you can learn more about your faith the rest of the week. Can you join a Bible study or spiritual book group? Is there a person in your faith community who could serve as a mentor? Pray to the Holy Spirit to inspire you to find resources to strengthen your faith.

Spend Time in Private Meditation

If you’re tempted to indulge in idle daydreaming when you’re feeling bored at church, try focusing your mind in meditation instead. Read a passage in scripture and reflect on it or ponder the words of a favorite prayer or the our father. You might also just simply put yourself in God’s presence and take time to listen to him.

Accept It

Sometimes you might just have to accept boredom as part of your spiritual journey. Just as work and home life have periods of boredom or restlessness, so does your life in faith. Continue to pray and attend mass or church services, and you will benefit from the grace of doing so, even if you don’t realize it’s there.

Don’t Give Up

Try not to give in to the temptation of boredom at church and remember these words from Scripture, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)

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Peggy Bowes is a former Air Force pilot and the author of The Rosary Workout and Tending the Temple. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children.