Understanding Apathy and How to Combat It
For many Christians, apathy can feel inescapable. They experience a lack of motivation and a growing indifference to important things, with some even struggling to care about anything at all. This listlessness can spill over into our spiritual lives, making it difficult to pray, read the Bible, or engage in our communities. Have we resigned ourselves to apathy? Do we recognize it as a sin? How can we fight against it?
In Overcoming Apathy, theology professor Uche Anizor explains what apathy is and gives practical, biblical advice to break the cycle. Inspired by his conversations with young Christians as well as his own experiences with apathy, Anizor takes a fresh look at this widespread problem and its effect on spiritual maturity. First, he highlights the prevalence of apathy in our culture, using examples from TV, movies, and social media. Next, he turns to theologians, philosophers, and psychologists to further define apathy. Finally, Anizor explores causes, cures, and healthy practices to boldly overcome apathy in daily life, taking believers from spiritual lethargy to Christian zeal. This short ebook is an excellent resource for those struggling with apathy as well as parents, mentors, and friends who want to support someone in need.
- Examines the Individual and Cultural Experience of Apathy: Analyzes the concept, experience, and healing from apathy; explores influences from philosophers to pop culture to understand its nature
- Practical Steps for Dealing with Apathy: Identifies 7 causes as well as healthy habits to fight against indifference
- Accessible for Students and Mentors: A great guide for high school and college students and those who counsel them; youth and young adult pastors; teachers; and anyone struggling with apathy or who knows someone who is
Editorial Reviews
“One of the greatest dangers for modern Christians is not apostasy but apathy. In the church, there are not masses of people who are in danger of denying Jesus, but some are in danger of growing bored with him. In Overcoming Apathy, we are met with practical ways for the church to fight back against one of our greatest challenges and we are confronted with the beauty of the gospel and the glory of King Jesus.”
J. T. English, Lead Pastor, Storyline Fellowship, Arvada, Colorado; author, Deep Discipleship
“Uche Anizor speaks from his experience, encouraging us to recognize and resist apathy, which is so common in our day. Human apathy refers not to healthy rest or godly contentment, but the loss of motivation and the growth of indifference; this condition then often undermines love for God and neighbor. If you feel apathetic, have lost motivation, and wonder if God has anything to say about your indifference, let Anizor point you back toward our good God and his good purposes. You’ll see that there is much worth living for because you have been liberated to care about things God cares about.”
Kelly M. Kapic, Professor of Theological Studies, Covenant College; author, You’re Only Human
“Overcoming Apathy is an honest invitation to take a tour of our hearts, where apathy often lives. Apathy, which has always been pervasive in fallen hearts, has been popularized by our present age to the point where we don’t even notice its presence and power in our lives. Uche Anizor helps us identify and define apathy, disentangling it from other emotions and experiences. With nuance and relevance, he offers seven seed buds from which apathy grows, pairing each with an antidote from Scripture. He moves from philosophical discussion to practical suggestions with ease, offering hope to those who struggle with indifference to that which should most ignite us to love and adoration.”
Aimee Joseph, author, Demystifying Decision-Making
“Uche Anizor has put his finger on one of the most disturbing and poignant cultural problems in the modern West: apathy. His psychologically insightful, theologically careful, and devotionally rich treatment will help readers both understand and overcome this ‘sickness of the soul.’ Both individual readers and small groups will benefit from Uche’s wise diagnosis of the causes and nature of apathy, as well as from his discussion of how we find healing and escape from apathy in the gospel.”
Gavin Ortlund, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Ojai; author, Finding the Right Hills to Die On
