Sometimes it makes you want to scream!  I know you’ve been there.  You’re in a meeting or presentation and it seems like time has decided to stand still.  Your personal mental challenge is to be creative in staying alert and giving the impression of interest in the uninteresting.(I’ve tried pinching myself)

The enemy called boredom does not discriminate.  It attacks men and women.  It attacks worthy causes and noble goals.  It attacks sincere plans and well minded intentions.  It attacks the novice as well as the veteran.  It’s most valued trusty is complacency and mental laziness.  It thrives on low expectations.

Does it have to be this way?  Is there anything that can be done to make the boring interesting?  Of course, the answer is yes.  But to get from boring to interesting will take intentional efforts.  Relying on the importance of the message being conveyed without consideration of how it is being conveyed is a poor strategy for success.

B-O-R-I-N-G

Being Oblivious to Relevant Information Needed for Growth

Here are three ways to fight the enemy called boredom:

1) Be Relevant.  If you’re not meeting the current needs of those you minister to, whose needs are you meeting?  You must know your audience and what brings value to them.  The greater the relevant value you bring to your ministry the more likely you will be in defeating boredom.  There is no “one size fits all” in ministry.

2) Be Enthusiastic.  If you’re not excited can you really expect others to find excitement in what you offer?  You must project energy by being energetic and lively.  Push yourself to be a better self.  Start with a smile and you’re on your way.

3) Be Authentic.  Being authentic means that you are who you say you are and that you practice what you preach.  No one likes a phony, do they?  Your authenticity (or lack of) will shine through and give evidence of your sincerity.

Our example for fighting the enemy called boredom is a high one.  When the soldiers who were sent to arrest Jesus explained to their leaders why that had not arrested him, all they could give as an explanation was “No one ever spoke the way this man does” John 17:46 NIV.  That’s the direction we should all be headed in.

Please continue to do what you do but do it with relevance, enthusiasm and authenticity.  Let’s vow to fight this enemy called boring.

Ok, it’s time. You have adequately prepared and done your homework. You have imagined this moment with a measure of anxiety and it’s finally arrived. It’s now or never. It’s time to swing for the fences. It’s Showtime!

What is Showtime? It’s the moment you leave any reservations about your abilities behind and you step out and perform in an extraordinary way. Your mindset is “I can do this!” and your attitude is one of success, not failure.

What is Showtime? It’s the moment that you embrace the truth that you must be, want to be, can be and will be extraordinary. You are committed to do what it takes to make the impact the opportunity deserves. That’s Showtime!

Showtime is not limited to when you are making public presentations. It applies to any area of life that can be enhanced with doing more than the average. It’s the time when you step out in faith expecting success in spite of fears that you are inadequate. You’re swinging for the fences expecting to hit a home run and a home run you shall hit.

Benjamin Disraeli said it perfectly “The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.” When your opportunity comes, whether frequently or infrequently, you must be ready to give it all that you have. One of the most vital ingredients in Showtime is the power of ENTHUSIASM.

Enthusiasm will make the difference between an ordinary experience and an extraordinary event. Letting go of our inhibitions and allowing ourselves to be more than how we see ourselves is liberating. The teacher that uses the power of enthusiasm will make more of an impact than the teacher that doesn’t. In whatever capacity you operate in, being enthusiastic will always lead to more success and greater opportunities.

Back in 1903 my favorite author penned these words: “An important element in educational work is enthusiasm. On this point there is a useful suggestion in a remark once made by a celebrated actor. The archbishop of Canterbury had put to him the question why actors in a play affect their audiences so powerfully by speaking of things imaginary, while ministers of the gospel often affect theirs so little by speaking of things real. “With due submission to your grace,” replied the actor, “permit me to say that the reason is plain: It lies in the power of enthusiasm. We on the stage speak of things imaginary as if they were real, and you in the pulpit speak of things real as if they were imaginary.”    Education pg 233 by E.G. White.

May the words “Let Go and Let God” be prophetic in your life. Don’t hold anything back and give it all that you have. It’s now or never. Swing for the fences. It’s Showtime!