Apathy: A Disgusting After-taste

Apathy.


What is it? Do you struggle with it? Do I struggle with it?
Is there a cure?


Apathy can be helpfully defined as the following:


1.The absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement
or...
2. A lack of interest or concern for things that others find moving or exciting

As one might assume, apathy is not only dangerous--it is destructive, life-threatening, and joy-stealing. Unfortunately, at one point or another, if we're honest, it is something in which we have all struggled or presently still struggle.

Please hear me when I say this. I am completely aware of the struggle that comes with living today. It is hard to always be passionate, excited, or interested in things--even if they are said to be "amazing". Naturally, we don't always like to be "happy" or excited; therefore, we choose to allow apathy to seep in a little bit at a time, until it consumes us, sucks the life out of us, and slowly but surely brings death to our souls. I would like to argue that apathy is a daily choice that we as people have the incredible freedom to make. We will choose to rejoice in the truth, or we will choose to dwell in the pit. There really isn't much of an in between; sure, we can try to create one, but who are we really fooling?


So...how do we respond to this sin-dition, if you will, this sinful condition called apathy. Where will you and I draw the line? When is it ok to give pessimism permission, allowing it to overtake our optimism? Is it ever okay?


The good news is...apathy is not a condition we have to stay in; it is not a terminal illness, so we must stop treating it as though its incurable. Apathy is simply a condition our own selfishness puts us in, but thankfully, it's a condition that can easily be eradicated by the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is much hope to be had Beloved, so hold on and take heart.


Personally, I take great comfort in the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians. It is evident from the following that Paul, a normal human being who had a life-changing encounter on a road with Jesus--knew that this thing called apathy was clearly a possible pit for anyone to fall into, including himself. Paul writes:


"We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body." (2 Corinthians 4:18-11)


He then goes on to encourage the church in Corinth, (which can encourage us as the church today!) with this profound Christ-centred perspective,


"THEREFORE, we do not LOSE HEART. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (4:16-18)


Thankfully, in this passage we find raw authenticity, helpful reminders of the God who is with us and for us, as well as the counteraction for apathy: the power of Christ which is in us!


After all, Jesus Himself warned His followers that they (we) would face adversity in the world, But Jesus doesn't stop there. He encourages His believers to take heart; Paul was simply following Christ's example when he wrote this to encourage the believers of his day to listen to and follow the words of the Saviour.


 Jesus said,"I have told you these things, SO THAT in ME you may have PEACE. In this world you will have trouble. BUT Take heart, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)


Counteracting apathy involves the deliberate choice of looking up. Fixing our eyes above. Dwelling on the things unseen, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Col. 3 1). If we choose Christ, the things of this world, the pessimism, the rubbish, the lies, the apathy--will begin to fade away, becoming just a distant noise and former battle that once waged against our souls.


In conclusion,
"Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything (this includes apathy!) that hinders and the sin (apathy-a sin of omission) that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY set before Him endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. CONSIDER HIM who endured such opposition from sinful men, SO THAT you will no grow weary and lose heart (apathetic)." (Hebrews 12:1-3).


Let us not fall as apathetic victims, but may we rise as missionaries carrying and spreading the good news of Jesus with bolder passion, deeper conviction, and an undying love for the Saviour who's set us free from the sin that so easily entangles. To the glory of God. 


Amen.