What To Do When I Don't Feel Like It
Motivations Away From Spiritual Apathy
Good Morning,
Prayers up for all y’all this somewhat wet Tuesday as you continue to tackle the week!
Today in this prayer and worship help I want to talk about something that some may see as a taboo topic. An issue that isn’t often brought up in mixed company, but probably should be. As Southerners we balk at letting others know this might be going on in our lives. Yet, it’s precisely because we don’t ask for help that it gets worse and worse. Why do we do that? Anyway enough teasing, the subject matter I want to bring forward is spiritual apathy. You ever get to a point in your walk with Christ where you start becoming not weak, but just downright lethargic? When you wake up, you get your Bible out to do your morning devotions and you are just not feeling it? Begin to pray and give up halfway through for the reason that you just wonder what the point is? This kind of thing usually starts, as an example, with looking at the clock on a Sunday morning and, still gazing at it around 10:45am, kind of give up and say, “well, I guess I’ll go next week” and next thing you know its 2022. We’ve all been there, got the t-shirt, etc… So let’s get to talking about how we can successfully navigate these miry waters and make it out the other side.
If you haven’t experienced this kind of thing it is either because you aren’t a Christian at all or you are lying to yourself, trying to fake it till you make it, etc… To be perfectly honest this is something I struggle with at times. Folks often assume ministers are always “on fire” and/or make use of the means of grace to such a degree that their tank never runs near empty. There is no question there are moments in my own spiritual life where I am weary, wore out by sin (my own and others’), and the world in general to the point that apathy starts to stalk me like a lioness waiting to pounce, and sometimes I get eaten. There are moments where I let myself become so overwhelmed with the realities of life in this fallen world that I fall prey to a melancholic Eeyore mindset which can, if not dealt with, lead to some dark places. Now, again there are times where I go down that path further than others, but there are three things (preachers always have three things) that I turn to that pull me out of the tailspin of my own making, and unlike how I got into that predicament they don’t involve me doing the heavy lifting.
When it comes to dealing with apathy the first thing I do is the opposite of what got me into the mess. I stop thinking about myself and start thinking about God. There often is some kind of triggering event that starts us down the path towards apathy. A death of a loved one, a loss of a job, or something that in the scheme of things may be trivial. It doesn’t take much to move us off track at times. So how do you actually do what I proposed above? For me it involves just taking a walk and looking around. Psalm 19 is a powerful motivator. The more we remember how small we are in the scheme of things the more we remember how merciful the Lord we serve is. David’s psalms are full of this exact picture. He is fearful, worried, anxious, and so what does he do in a place like Psalm 13? He takes a second to get reacquainted with the majesty of Jehovah.
Getting out of our own head is helpful to saving ourself from obscuring spirits.
Another thing that is advantageous is reaching out to those nearest to us for prayer and help. Again, we hate to ask for help, especially us men. However, as Christ says to His disciples, you have not, because you ask not. We need to be cultivating relationships as believers for the dark times of life. The church of the Lord is made for our own benefit and if we are having trouble finding someone in Jesus’s house to walk us through this path then come and talk to me about it. Now, to be sure my door is always open and I am certainly always available to conversate on all subjects, but it is healthy for the body to be in some ways self-healing. The witness we have in 1 Timothy is of older ladies and younger ladies building a bond of trust and security in which to mutual edify one another, and we see similar exhortations in 1 Thessalonians for everyone to do the same. The church should be a safe place to unburden yourself, especially when you are struggling with faith and life.
Lastly, after we’ve put God first, sought the advice of Christ’s bride, a third thing that we need to do is not neglect the means of grace. If you don’t feel like praying let the Holy Spirit do it for you. Let Him utter up groanings too deep for words. Know that you need not offer up the perfect prayer. If the Lord hears the gumming of babes in Psalm 8, He’s going to hear your mumblings as well, and He is going to rejoice in them. Similarly if we get bored with Scripture reading, then take it slow, but don’t give up. Most of all even if the preacher is dry as chalk do not forsake the worship of the saints on the Lord’s Day, and also the keeping of the Sabbath in general. These are meant to be a gift of God unto our souls for restoration as well as our blessing and benefit. Even if you have to show up in your pajamas be at worship on Sunday, you’ll find yourself strengthened in the presence of the Triune Lord.
Hope this has been helpful.
Here is a piece from Ray Van Neste to see other ways to assist when apathy strikes:
Blessings in Christ,
Rev. Benjamin Glaser
Pastor, Bethany ARP Church