A Letter: Boredom in the Assembly Meetings?

 

Question:

Hello brother. I would like to ask a question here, and I hope that I'm not putting too much strain on you. But I think the question is important because I have the impression that it is not only on my mind, but also on the minds of many other young believers, or that they are struggling with it. I had a deep, honest conversation with a friend. We talked about the fact that we both often lack the desire and motivation to go to the meetings. And when you are in the meeting, perhaps you are glad when the hour is finally over. We asked ourselves what the reasons for this could be because we would like to be able to go to the meeting with joy and energy and really meet the Lord Jesus and let Him speak to us.

Here are some thoughts on this:

1. Personally, I have found that if I prepare specifically before the meeting, I get more benefit from it, and I experience less boredom. However, I have noticed that I simply don't have the time or energy to prepare for an hour before the meeting.

2. Someone once told me that the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More meeting was the most precious and greatest thing for him. I had to admit to myself that this really wasn’t the case for me.

3. It is often said that we should not look at the outward appearance but at the Lord Jesus. That's true, but unfortunately, I can't completely switch off the outward appearance, and that can often be so discouraging.

4. I asked myself the question, If I am not enthusiastic about the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More, how can I get someone else to be enthusiastic about it? Is this perhaps also an answer as to why I can't win people over to the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More?

5. Is the problem perhaps also that one resists being used by the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More in the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More?

6. Or should it be a greater prayer request that God gives you the motivation and joy for the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More?

These are some of the thoughts that occupy my mind. I hope I'm not shocking anyone with this question. But I'm sure that being honest and saying what I really feel does more good than pretending that everything is fine. When I look at the faces around me on Sunday mornings (including myself, I don't want to judge others), I often have the feeling that I'm not alone with my problem.

But I think it is certainly also due to what your relationship with the Lord Jesus looks like ...

Perhaps you have some practical tips/help for me/us on this problem, how it could be different, i.e. how it could change for the better.

Many thanks and best regards, S.

______________________________________________

Reply to the Letter

Dear S.,

Thank you very much for your email with the honest presentation of the topic of "boredom during the assembly meetings". You have already listed several points that contribute to solving the problem, and for the sake of simplicity, I will take up these points briefly and add a few more considerations for more joy in the meetings.

"The most important thing: the Lord Jesus is there!" We should realize more that the Lord Jesus is personally in the midst of those gathered. This privilege that the Lord Jesus Himself presented to His disciples in Matthew 18:20 does not exist on any other occasion. We are then, so to speak, "present before God" (Acts 10:33). The awareness of really being in the presence of the Lord (cf. for example Heb. 10:19-25) will change our attitude to these gatherings. Then He rather than our human weakness will be at the center of our attention.

1. Energy for active preparation

If we have an exam or an important appointment in our professional life ahead of us, or if we have another important event coming up, we will certainly prepare for it with the necessary care—even if we don't feel like it (at first). We will also endeavor to be physically fit before such an appointment and not go "into the race" overworked. It should be no different for attending the meetings: inner preparation by reading a Bible text (on Sunday mornings, for example, on the sufferings of the Lord; for the Bible study, the appointed Bible passage; for the prayer meeting, the "collection of topics") and by prayer; and outer preparation by—if possible—sufficient rest and shielding from the "noise of the day". Then we enter the meeting with joy: "I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’'" (PsalmPsalm simply means "song." In the Old Testament, this word only occurs in connection with the Psalms of David and the Book of Psalms. Singers sang a psalm with instrumental... More 122:1).

2. AssemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More Meeting – the most precious thing in life?

After all, the meetings are about the most precious hours a Christian can experience here on earth: Experiencing the personal presence of the Lord is a foretaste of heaven (Mt 18:20). However, this experience does not come to you with no effort; in addition to preparation during the week, it also requires inner reflection: Am I inwardly ready for an encounter with the Son of GodThe term "Son of God" in the singular always refers to the Lord Jesus. On the one hand, He is the only begotten (unique) and eternal Son of God, who... More? Do I live in peace with my fellow brothers and sisters? Actively thinking about the songs, prayers, and Bible texts helps a great deal to prevent your thoughts from wandering. Praying during the pauses instead of letting your eyes wander around the hall or thinking about your last or next professional challenge is also good and useful. Unfortunately, sitting down and passively waiting for the time to pass (and thus leaving it to others) is often a sad reality. But just as we are actively called to rejoice in the Lord, we should also actively participate in these hours – then the awareness of the Lord's presence will not be long in coming.

3. Don't look on the outside – is that possible?

Perhaps you are thinking of the small number of attendees or whether the present are winsome brothers? Certainly, both (and many other things) can be discouraging—but isn't that a special reason not to look at the outside, because nothing can be expected from people? Few attendees, the absence of otherwise active brothers, "difficult" fellow Christians—all of this encourages us to pray, takes away our trust in the circumstances, and makes us seek refuge in the Lord alone. Such experiences have already been a healing experience for many. On the other hand, even with large numbers of attendees, beautiful halls, and supposedly particularly suitable brothers, we should be inwardly in prayer and even then expect everything from Him and nothing from man. In all cases, the Spirit aims to direct our hearts to ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More – do we give Him room to do so?

4. Enthusiasm for the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More – winning others

At its center, Christianity is characterized by facts and not by feelings: It is not because I feel that I am saved that I rejoice, but because I know it from God's Word—and that provides a stronger foundation and lasting joy. The meetings are therefore also characterized by biblical statements—but these can, may, and should certainly evoke joy, amazement, and therefore also "enthusiasm" in us. This "spiritual enthusiasm" is fundamentally different from worldly and also often religious enthusiasm, which is based on a temporary surge of emotion; it is always accompanied by spiritual prudence and sobriety. At the same time, of course, being convinced of the nature of the meetings is a prerequisite for winning others. However, our inner conviction can be given an "experiential component" through active participation in the meetings, which motivates us to encourage others to come to the meeting. The "come and see" of the evangelistic appeal can certainly be extended to the meetings—and after our own "warming up", this will certainly also influence our behavior towards others.

5. Blockade against personal participation?

If all men are called to pray (cf. 1 Tim. 2:8), shouldn't every brother be inwardly ready to actively participate in prayer? If the Lord desires that we come together to remember Him, should not everyone present actively remember his Savior and—as a brother—make this audible through a suitable prayer, song, or Bible text? Of course, "holy hands" are required for prayer and a "worthy meal" at the Lord's Supper. There should also be a willingness to accept a fraternal correction from time to time. But if the heart is filled with the Lord (see above), won't the mouth speak out of this fullness (Mt. 12:34) and therefore be willing to be used by the Spirit? "Let me hear your voice" (Song of Songs 2:14) —we also want to let this request of the bridegroom in the Song of Songs have an effect on us: He is waiting for our "voices"! As a spiritual priesthood, we are all called to the spiritual "service of God", and the Lord uses brothers to make this service audible. Doesn’t a Spirit-led contribution from a young brother in age-appropriate, authentic wording put a jarring end to some of the boredom of one or more? Our concern should not be to dampen the Spirit, but to be filled by Him! Then we will be free for His guidance.

6. Prayer for joy in the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More meetings

Prayer for the meeting and before the meeting is certainly a very important prerequisite for experiencing them with joy. Asking for cleansing from sometimes hidden sins (Ps. 19:13; 139:24), praying for the guidance of the Spirit, for protection from inner or outer distractions, for authority in preaching—these and more requests will help us to enter the meeting times with a different attitude, and we will certainly experience many answers to prayer.

7. Motionless faces

A meeting led by the Spirit primarily addresses our renewed mind (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:15), which absorbs and "processes" the spiritual content. Therefore, you cannot expect to see beaming faces or faces weeping with joy with every song or prayer. You will also certainly know the mentality of your fellow Christians to some extent and be able to categorize their reactions: One brother prays with an animated voice, another calmly and perhaps somewhat monotonously—and yet both are generally concerned with the thoughts they are expressing, which they clothe in different forms. What's more, we in the West are known to live in a culture that is not so strongly characterized by emotional outbursts. But on special occasions, the Lord can certainly evoke such strong feelings about the subject that emotions become visible. But this should not be the standard. Besides: feelings disappear quickly, but the inner uplifting lasts (as a rule) much longer. How about seeking a concrete conversation with one or two people after the meeting about what they have experienced? Perhaps you will then discover a rich spiritual life behind a "motionless face"—or perhaps you will motivate each other to refocus on the present Lord.

8. The joy of the Lord Jesus

There is one more important aspect to consider about the meetings: While we want to experience joy and blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More in the meetings, the first question should be: Do we bring joy to our Lord in the meetings, through our behavior, through our active participation? He wants to meet with us (Ex. 29:42), He seeks His rest there (Ps. 132:14), and He wants to sing praises amid His people (Heb. 2:12)! Do we seek His joy in these hours? Then our joy will also arise and increase!

I hope that with these additional reflections on your thoughts, I have given you some pointers that will lead to more joy in experiencing the presence of the Lord Jesus. I sincerely wish that both you and I will have this joy and the knowledge of His joy.

Best regards