Does Your Mind Ever Wander During a Sermon?

3 ways to get more out of your church sermon.

How often have you been listening to a sermon and found your mind wandering?

I know I can’t be the only one.

Let’s be honest, at the 15-minute mark of a 45-minute sermon, you may find yourself thinking through the restaurant choices for lunch.

My guess is that you’ve developed a to-do list in your mind at least once or twice in your life while the Pastor was reading scripture.

It doesn’t mean you are a horrible Christian. It doesn’t mean your pastor is dull or his sermon subject is boring. Everyone is susceptible to following a rabbit trail of thoughts while listening.

What it really means is that we need to be active participants. To get more out of the sermon, we need to be intentional.

Here are some helpful tips:

Have the right mindset

If we attend church in person, we spend time preparing. We make sure our clothes match, teeth are brushed, hair combed, etc.)

In the same way, we need to mentally prepare ourselves for the service. We need to open our hearts to hear what God has for us.

We need a grateful and humble attitude. We are fortunate to be able to worship in a comfortable building. In other countries, families may walk an hour or more to stand in the heat under a tree to worship. Some risk physical harm to attend.

Take notes

This forces our minds to be engaged at a higher level. We are comprehending what we hear and transferring it onto paper. This will solidify the points the Pastor is making and help us remember them during the week.

Be a good listener

It takes effort on our part. Be present by focusing our hearts and minds on the service.

Be intentional, if your mind wanders, make a conscious decision to rein it back in. Be open to what God has for you, even if it steps on your toes. That’s how we grow.

It’s never about the quality of the speaker or the sermon.

Every sermon presents an opportunity for God to speak directly to our hearts.

We have a much better chance of hearing Him if we are in the right mindset and actively listening.

For verses on this subject, see 1 Corinthians 2:12, James 1:22-25, Hebrews 3:7-8