the potential blessing of boredom
a couple weeks ago a group of people went into downtown atlanta on a friday night to bring some burgers and water to the homeless. i had the privelege of going with them. among the many people we met that night was a man...i'll call him steve. we met him late in the night (or early in the morning, really). i sat there with him, and within five minutes of meeting me he was telling me how frustrated he was to be on the streets. "it's because i do drugs." he told me. apparently he had broken up with his girlfriend three months prior, and after moving out he had nowhere to go. so there we found him, huddled in the fetal position, trying to get some sleep on a cold 40 degree night.
"to be honest with you, robby, people do drugs for different reasons. i don't do them for the same reason most people do. i'm just bored. i'll go into my hotel room, turn on the tv, try to find something to do, but it's all just so boring. life is boring. so i end up doing drugs." he explained.
i have never heard so clear an example of what clive staples lewis* wrote about in mere christianity: "if i find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."
i'm thankful steve is bored. his boredom could easily be the tool God uses to bring him to Christ. ironically, steve's way closer to getting the point of life than a lot of people i know. he is bored because he doesn't yet know that Jesus has a purpose for him. once he realizes that God indeed has a reason for his existence, boredom will be far less likely. but remember, alleviating boredom is not the point--coming to freedom in Christ is.
* (c.s. lewis) thanks for the gentle comments, brent. ;)
Um. Robby. C.S. Lewis, wasn't a big fan of the name Clive, and went by Jack, instead. By using his full name, you do not show homage, rather you demonstrate your ignorance. Just thought you should know.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that was a bit harsh. Not complete ignorance. Perhaps you were just misinformed. I'm sorry. Forgive me.
ReplyDeleteWow, it's like I've got my own little blog going on in your comments. I have met my shadow. I have become what I despise. Okay, again with the harsh words. I don't despise bloggers. I apologize to the entire blogging community.
ReplyDeleteI also want to apologize for taking the focus off your point, Robby. It's a point well made. The focus on Lewis's preferred name was nothing but a semantic quibble avoiding what you were really saying. I'm sorry. I suck.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to let everyone know that I'm sitting right next to the Robster while I'm writing all of these. It makes me laugh. What? You don't care? Well I don't care if you care! So there!
ReplyDeleteApparently, dear Brent is also bored. Hopefully this will not lead him to try cooking his own Ice using ordinary household chemicals like our homeless friend "Steve."
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Robby, what a great point. Your story also reminded me of Lewis' frequently John Piper-quoted statement from "The Weight of Glory": We continue to wallow and make mud pies in the ghetto because we simply cannot imagine the offer of a holiday at the sea; "we are far too easily pleased."
I think a guy like Steve is alot more likely to meet Jesus, sitting at the bottom as he is and free of distraction, than an SUV-weilding, soccer Mom non-christian from the suburbs. As you said, it is easier for us to think our purpose lies elsewhere...job, females, money, etc.
Nice blog action!