Rich Villodas with a fresh perspective on what will inevitably arise as we incorporate this practice:
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“Think of boredom during silent prayer as an act of purification.
In this uneventful moment, God purifies us of the false god of good feelings. While good feelings are gifts, they can easily become ends in themselves.
We can move from worshipping the living God to worshipping our spiritual experience.”
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I love that.
If you resolve to sit silently in a dark room for ten minutes, not praying to God, but just knowing that you’re with him, you’ll quickly be bored.
But as Villodas says, that can help purify us of the notion that every interaction with God must.result.in.a.powerful.worship.experience.
Do we expect that in our personal relationships?
No.
Villodas notes that shared silence is often a mark of close friendship.
And when you say, “God, I’m sitting here with you, nothing to say, just to be here,” it’s a sign that you believe that friendship.
And if you soon grow bored, think of it as God purifying you of the idea that every encounter must be moving.
It won’t be. But you’ll still be moving closer to God.
