SO, YOU ARE FALLING ASLEEP DURING CHURCH?

A common problem within the churches is the ability to focus during the sermon. But why is this, and how can you overcome this obstacle?

Read on to discover two reasons for your sleepiness during service and how to overcome those challenges!

Why Are You Falling Asleep? 

1. Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual warfare is often overlooked in American churches. Yet, Satan is actively seeking the destruction of God’s people (Ephesians 6:12). While he can never take away your salvation (Romans 8:38), the Bible warns against his craftiness and to stand firm against any of his schemes (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11). One way Satan deceives is by convincing you to believe the sermon is all about you, creating a consumeristic Christianity. The mentality that every sermon should be exciting, funny, has a feel-good application, and relate directly to ME and my preferences are selfish. Satan knows to use your naturally bent tendencies to be self-oriented to keep you from glorifying Jesus to the fullest. His tactic of convincing you that it is hard to stay awake because the pastor is boring and not entertaining enough is effective. But as you are more aware of this tactic used by the enemy, it will be easier to resist him (James 4:7).

2. Lack of Spiritual Preparation

If you were to sign up for a marathon, it would be foolish to show up on the day of the event without any training or preparation. Your muscles and body need to be prepped for the exertion you will be under, and it will make your run all that more enjoyable and life-giving if you put forth the work needed to complete the marathon ahead of time. In the same way, your mind and heart need preparation to be able to sit for a set amount of time and actively hear and consume God’s Word. If you are not spiritually active throughout the week, how can you expect to fully embrace and take in the Word of God during a church service? 

Read on for some practical tips to fight against the spiritual battle of sleepiness during a sermon. 

How Can I Overcome This Challenge? 

1. Come Prepared

• Pray – During the week, pray for your pastor, congregation, and your heart to be connected and submitted to God’s Word and Will. Prayer is your direct line to God and helps fight spiritual battles. Prayer also deepens your affection towards God, the church leadership, and fellow church members. 

• Read the Word – During the week, devote time to reading the Bible. The more you do so, the more stamina you will develop as you sit and intentionally take in God’s Word. You will also find that your enjoyment of hearing from God will grow as you commit to spending time with Him. Both the growth in stamina and enjoyment of the scriptures will help you as you sit and listen to the preaching of God’s Word. In addition, sometime pastors will let you know what they are preaching ahead of time. Reading the selection beforehand will help you follow the preaching easier as you hear it explained in more detail. 

• A Good Night Sleep – Making it a priority to go to bed at a reasonable time will help your body to feel its’ best and help you to stay alert. Though every season is different, one thing is for sure: sleep plays a massive role in your ability to focus. 

2. Actively Engage

• Open Your Bible – Opening your Bible and actively following along with the sermon helps you to stay awake and alert. Having a pen and highlighter will keep you engaged as you interact with the scriptures by underlining and making Bible notes. 

• Take Notes – Having a sheet of paper to take notes of the main points helps you remain active during the sermon. If you are more of a drawer or doodler, that’s okay too! As long as your mind is attentive toward the sermon. I have even recommended to some teens to draw a picture of what the sermon is about. 

• Remove Distractions – If you can, silence your phone and any smart devices (like a watch). If listening to the sermon is already difficult for you, the fewer distractions you have, the better! I highly recommend using a paper Bible rather than your Bible app for this reason and for the reasons I made in the “Open Your Bible” suggestion. 

• Good Posture – We use more than just our ears to listen actively. It takes our eyes and body’s position toward the person talking to listen intentionally. It is almost impossible to take in any beneficial information when your body is slumped in your chair, your eyes are glazed over, and you look like you don’t want to be there. Sitting up straight, nodding your head as the pastor speaks, and keeping your attention towards him makes it easier to stay awake and soak in the Word. Not to mention a good posture is a way to love your pastor because you are showing interest and value in the work he put into preparing, and you encourage others by modeling your love for God’s Word.

Fight the Good Fight!

God has gifted people to serve the church through preaching and to bring Him glory (1 Peter 4:10-11). When your pastor preaches, he is not there to entertain you but to equip you for the good works God has prepared beforehand and to point you toward Jesus. So, come ready to fight against Satan’s schemes and wake up! God deserves your attention, and hearing good teaching of the Word glorifies Him and strengthens your walk with Him. There is grace upon grace for you and me, but let’s not use grace as an excuse not to fight the sleepiness that threatens to take our focus off God. 

Reflect and Connect

What reasons do you think most people give for losing focus during the preaching portion of service?

How would you respond to someone who says they aren’t getting anything from the sermon? If that person is you, what could you tell yourself? 😉

What is your typical physical and spiritual posture while listening to a sermon? What can you do to better improve your “posture” as you hear and respond to God’s Word during corporate worship?