Some people (like me) struggle with semi-frequent feelings of apathy. It’s a mindset of “whatever,” “what’s the point,” or “it doesn’t matter much.”
Where Does Apathy Come From
Where does this come from? Two sources, which as we’ll see intermix.
First, it’s a temperament that some of us have. For years I’ve experienced this visiting inclination to apathy. But others, like my wife for example, rarely have this tendency. Their struggle is to over-think, over-care, over-fixate. Those of us in this apathy category tend to do the opposite. The truth is we’re all made different—in our sin we’re all bent different—and some are more prone to apathy.
Second, there’s a more frightful answer to apathy’s origin in the heart for people like me: apathy can stem from saying I’m “trusting in God.” Now, this “trust” isn’t proper trust; it isn’t a heart-felt knowing and leaning upon God, since genuine trust wouldn’t lead to be indifference. But logically this is where apathy can spring from.
How These Two Avenues Work Together
Here’s how it can work for those like me. We’re already bent toward apathy, but then, once we become Christians, we use our trust in God as a subtle reason to be apathetic. It’s backwards and messed up, but it’s the truth.
Before my Christian faith was as prominent in my life and a situation arose, because of my disposition, I would still be prone to “whatever.” But now, although I’m firmer in my faith, I still have that same inclination in my flesh toward apathy, and so when a situation arises, I not only lean toward apathy in my disposition, but I rationalize it away by saying I’m merely trusting in God. “God’s got it, so whatever.” See how it works?
I know there’s other people who are like me. “Trust in God” becomes an avenue to apathy. We know this it’s not the way we’re supposed to trust God, and clearly it’s not the way our weeping Savior dealt with tough situations (Luke 19:41-44). But it’s a consistent struggle.
How Apathy Affects Prayer
In many ways this hurts the Christian life, but the biggest (which is the reason I’m writing this) seems to be in the realm of prayer. Apathy and prayerlessness are closely connected.
Tough situations are a God-given way to be led into prayer. Praying in difficult circumstances isn’t just the “right” thing to do, it’s the most God-glorifying action—since we go to God as the one who can help. And it’s the most people-loving action—since we go to God as the one who can help people in the situation.
Here’s, then, where apathy affects prayer: instead of praying, we just say, “Whatever.” Rather than going to God, we passively brush it off, saying we’re trusting God, but in reality, we’re reverting back to old dispositions of indifference.
Apathy leads to prayerlessness.
To the Almighty Instead of Apathy
In ways like these, I’m starting to see apathy’s danger more in life. Feelings of “whatever” are not merely lacking love nor missing purpose. They’re sin. Particularly in the realm of prayer, by acting in indifferent ways we bow to apathy instead of the Almighty. We take our problems to the altar of “whatever” rather than to the throne of grace. Doing so, we miss out on the intimacy, purpose, and grace that only God can give. We forsake God-given peace—peace that apathy will never give.
Yet good news is that by God’s grace this can start to change. Though you and I may frequently turn to apathy rather than him, Christ is not apathetic towards us. While we’re passive, he still pursues. While we’re saying “whatever,” he’s still waiting with open arms, wooing us to himself.
Fight Apathy
So, may we—anyone who has this struggle like me—fight apathy. It’s true there are times when, because we genuinely do trust in God, we’re released from over-fixating on a situation in a negative way—this isn’t apathy, it’s true trust. But it’s also true we can say we’re “trusting in God” when we’re not.
Apathy isn’t trusting God. It’s wrong, hurtful, sin. For the sake of our prayers, for the sake of others we pray for, and for the sake of the glory of God we pray to, let’s fight apathy.
