What Is Spiritual Apathy

Here are four steps you can take to combat spiritual apathy.

What is the sin of apathy?

Though the idea of the sin in antiquity was that this lethargy or lack of activity was simply a symptom of the vice of apathy or indifference, specifically an apathy or boredom with God, sloth has also been defined as a failure to accomplish things that one should do.

What is spiritual indifference?

What does it mean to be unconcerned? To be indifferent about an issue means that it makes no difference which way you look at it; one method isn't more valuable or important than the other. There is a lack of excitement, concern, or interest in something or someone.

From time to time, we're all ambivalent about certain issues. For lunch, do we want chicken or hamburgers? So, if we like both, we'll say it doesn't make a difference. Would we rather go shopping today or tomorrow? It doesn't seem to make a difference.

These are only a few examples of indifferent attitudes that have minimal impact. Today's lesson emphasizes the significance of paying attention to the things that really important.

So, once again, we refer to J. Kalas Ellsworth's ideas and thoughts in his work “We use the Roman soldiers as examples of the mistake of being indifferent at a time when full attention was required in “Seven Words To The Cross: A Lenten Study For Adults,” as we use them as examples of the mistake of being indifferent at a time when full attention was required.

In the words and acts of the soldiers assigned to Jesus' execution in John 19: 23-27, we find an attitude of indifference. For whatever reason, they were unconcerned with an occurrence that was undoubtedly routine for them.

The things of Jesus, namely the pieces of clothes, were their primary concern for the afternoon. They were particularly interested in acquiring his garment, which would have been expensive due to the lack of seams and sewn-together areas.

But, while they were preoccupied with the tunic, Jesus was dying on the cross directly above them. However, we observe complete disregard for anything or anyone other than their own interests.

I invite each of us to dig deep within ourselves throughout Lent and beyond to discover if we have any apathy toward others or, more significantly, toward God.

These Roman soldiers were not only harsh and callous, but also thoughtless. Can we think about the apathy we have as a culture toward other people's feelings while we consider these troops' insensitivity to pain and suffering?

We may not become willfully nasty and brutal, but we may just become oblivious to the sorrow that surrounds us.

Our spiritual journey might sometimes be marred by indifference. It can happen when we hear the Holy Spirit's voice but are too preoccupied to respond. It might happen when we are too preoccupied with our own concerns to hear our brothers and sisters' cries.

It might happen when we are guilty of wrongdoings in our life but do not change our ways. The Holy Spirit's voice, the screams of the poor, and personal convictions are becoming less and less frequent.

We tend to lose touch with the personal call that God has put on our hearts, and our vision isn't as clear as it once was.

Could it be that we've removed our hands off Jesus's and replaced our passion for following him with apathy? If that's the case, it's easy to see ourselves rolling the dice at the foot of the cross.

It's possible that we've heard God's call on our lives; we understand how important it is to treat others as Jesus did, but we're simply too preoccupied. Preoccupation can quickly develop into indifference if we are not careful.

God is the one who keeps trying to break into our life, banging on the door of our busyness, and we keep shutting him out.

We are not violent or unkind; we simply have other things on our minds. We're attempting to figure out how to deal with the situation “We can wear “tunics” without shredding them in our life.

This scenario in front of the cross has a certain irony to it. You may recall that a woman was healed after touching the hem of Jesus' robe a few months ago (Luke 8:43-48). The soldiers were now wearing the same outfit.

We know the piece of fabric didn't contain any magic. However, I'm curious if any of those guys required physical healing that day, either for themselves or for someone back home.

How close they were to the source of all healing, to the One who had come to mend the brokenness, to cast out the darkness, to provide peace, and to build an eternal relationship!

What does God say about laziness in the Bible?

“Hands that work hard will reign, while sloth will result in forced labor.” “Whoever is sluggish in his labor is a brother of the master of ruin.” “Laziness comes on deep sleep, and the shiftless become hungry,” says Proverbs 19:15.

How is sloth a sin?

When we think of a “The term “couch potato” refers to someone who is sedentary. The vice of sloth, on the other hand, does not refer to bodily exhaustion, fatigue, or aversion to work, but rather to apathy toward work “spiritual laziness” refers to a carelessness or lack of excitement for my soul's life, God's love, and the task he has given me. Despair is caused by a sense of weariness or dullness in the soul.

Faith in God's love, according to the Catholic Church, includes both the call and the need to respond to divine charity with real love. Sloth is a sin against God's love because it rejects the joy that comes from God and is repulsed by heavenly goodness. It's a loss of faith in our ability to achieve what God desires for us: eternal bliss. The slothful lack the strength and desire to pursue the great things God has planned for those who love him.

Our spiritual life will be locked on the sofa until our souls dare to believe and have the bravery and spiritual energy to realize that God is limitless love who extends his hand to us in order to share his kindness and happiness.

Proverbs describe undesirable trait

Calvary Temple Assembly of God, 606 W. 29th St., Rev. Marshall Lackrone, pastor

The phrases “sloth” and “slothfulness” are rarely used in everyday language. A few Scriptures can provide a very good solution to the question. Especially when we consider Jesus' parable of “The Talents” in Matthew 25:26 (King James Version): “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not strawed.”

“Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy master,” Jesus said three verses before speaking the words to his followers in Matthew 25:23 (King James translation).

The Bible makes numerous references to sloth and slothfulness, and in Proverbs 6:6-9 (King James version), the Bible uses the word “sluggard” in the same vein: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:Which, having no guide, overseer, or ruler,Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

How long do you intend to sleep, sluggard? “When do you intend to awaken from your slumber?”

A sloth is a tree-dwelling mammal that is notable for its slowness of locomotion. The sloth was one of the everyday objects used by Jesus to illustrate his messages. In Ecclesiastes 10:18 (King James version), if slothfulness isn't evil, it's certainly not desirable: “By great slothfulness the structure decayeth; and with laziness of the hands the house droppeth through.”

How do I stop being a sloth?

“How can I get rid of my sluggishness?” The answer might not be as simple as you think. While some people are more prone to being lethargic than others, even the most productive persons might struggle to complete tasks at times.

Here are some suggestions to help you overcome laziness and increase your productivity.

Make your goals manageable

Burnout can be caused by setting unreasonable objectives and taking on too much. Burnout symptoms are recognized by medical specialists, despite the fact that it is not a clinical diagnosis. Burnout at work can lead to exhaustion, a lack of interest and ambition, and a desire to leave.

Set realistic, manageable goals that will get you where you want to go without overwhelming you along the way to avoid overloading.

Don't expect yourself to be perfect

Perfectionism increased with time, according to a 2017 study of college students between 1989 and 2016. “Young people now face more competitive situations, more unreasonable expectations, and more worried and controlling parents than previous generations,” according to the researchers.

People are becoming more critical of themselves and others as a result of the rise in perfectionism. Depression and anxiety have also increased as a result.

Expecting perfection was linked to avoidant coping, which is when you avoid dealing with challenges, according to a smaller research of college students.

Use positive instead of negative self-talk

Negative self-talk can sabotage your efforts to accomplish goals in many areas of your life. Negative self-talk includes telling yourself that you're a slacker.

Positive self-talk can help you silence your negative inner voice. “I'll give it my all to make it happen,” instead of “There's no way I can get this done.”

Create a plan of action

Making a plan for how you'll do something will help you get there faster. Create an action plan and be realistic about how much time, effort, and other elements will be required to achieve your goal. Even if you encounter a stumbling block along the way, having a plan will provide direction and confidence.

Use your strengths

When making objectives or preparing to tackle a task, take a time to consider your strengths. To help you get things done, try applying them to different elements of a task. Focusing on strengths has been demonstrated to boost productivity, pleasant feelings, and work engagement in studies.

Recognize your accomplishments along the way

Giving yourself a pat on the back for a job well done might help you stay motivated. Consider keeping track of all of your achievements in all you do, whether at work or at home. It's a fantastic method to enhance your self-esteem and positivism, as well as give you the motivation to keep going.

How do I overcome spiritual emptiness?

And he told them a tale about how they should always pray and never give up. (18:1) (Luke 18:1)

We can see from the foregoing verse that persistent prayer is both possible and expected.

Fasting Helps

Fasting: Fasting can be used to support your tarrying in his presence. Fasting humbles us and sharpens our spirit man, which is why we should fast.

I covered the advantages of fasting in part 2 of my piece on prayer keys, so I won't go over it again here.

Analyse How You Got to Current State of Spiritual Emptiness

Perform a root cause study and assess how you arrived at your current spiritual emptiness.

What were some of the things you did or didn't do? You will be able to avoid those things in the future if you take an honest look inward.

For instance, few years ago, I was engrossed in a daily television series. Before I knew it, I was so engrossed in watching the series that I had forgotten about my time with God.

What does spiritual dryness feel like?

Spiritual dryness or desolation in Catholic spirituality refers to a lack of spiritual comfort in one's spiritual life. It's a type of spiritual crisis that manifests itself subjectively as a sense of being cut off from God or a lack of spiritual emotion, particularly during contemplative meditation.

What does it mean to be spiritually cold?

We've grown accustomed to live in a world where only what can be seen and touched is real. Making it simple to trust what our eyes can see and our hands can feel. Mindfulness and compassion practice can assist us in choosing to view the outside world from a perspective that is beneficial to our spiritual well-being.

Our soul, like our bodies, gets tired and run down and requires rest from time to time. When we stray from a consistent diet of love and gratitude, our spirit, like our bodies, begins to lack the appropriate nutrients that allow energy to flow. Our ability to choose love in difficult situations necessitates a healthy relationship to our soul, just as walking up a flight of stairs necessitates a certain level of fitness.

As someone who has suffered from depression for many years, I've learned that compassion can be the difference between feeling broken and having a spiritual cold. The spiritual symptoms of a fever may manifest as anxiety over paying your bills, rather than the physical symptoms of a fever keeping you awake all night. The physical aches and pains that make a cold so unpleasant are now manifested as feelings of being unloved and inadequate. Nagging, self-deprecating thoughts accompany headaches. It's time to take a break if serving others no longer brings you joy and you're starting to feel like you're doing thankless work. That's the tickling in your throat telling you to be kind with yourself and get some rest, because a negative attitude is just as contagious as a cold.

When our souls are in good shape, we are glad for our friends, social media is enjoyable, we can let go of what no longer serves us, and we can envision our future through a beautiful, optimistic lens. If we ignore our bodies' symptoms of exhaustion and don't relax, our bodies will eventually take control and shut everything down, whether we have the time for a break or not. It is not in our nature to be harsh or callous, just as it is not in our nature to be sick and frail.

As I mentioned in my previous article, just because something doesn't have a name doesn't make it any less real. Love, gratitude, and compassion must be considered as soul medicine. Because you can't package it or buy it over the counter anymore, pharmaceutical corporations aren't interested in disclosing this information to you. Love, on the other hand, can heal; gratitude may relieve worry; and compassion is nature's valium. If you take it every day, morning and night, I assure you'll see a return of your natural delight.

I'm writing this in the hopes that anyone going through a difficult period might change their mindset from fear to love.

As always, please let me know what you think in the comments section.