When You Stop Caring

Have you ever found yourself drifting through your Christian life with a dull heart and a disinterested spirit? The songs at church don’t move you. The Bible feels like a textbook. Prayer seems pointless. Deep down, you know you should care but you just don’t. And worse still, you don’t know how to fix it.

This feeling isn’t rare. Many Christians go through seasons sometimes long ones where passion for God fades and apathy settles in. But the good news is that Scripture doesn’t leave us stuck. There are ways forward. There are steps, however small, that we can take to awaken our hearts again.

The Silent Struggle of Apathy

Spiritual apathy is subtle. It doesn’t always look like outright rebellion. More often, it shows up in the slow erosion of desire for God. You know what’s true, but you feel disconnected from it. And because this condition often feels shameful, it’s easy to hide.

But apathy isn’t something new. In Romans 12:11, Paul urges believers, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” The very fact that this command exists means that zeal can fade and it can also be rekindled.

Let’s begin by asking three diagnostic questions that can help uncover what may be fueling this indifference.

1. Am I living in unconfessed sin?

Sometimes, apathy is rooted in disobedience. When we walk in willful sin, even quietly, it can numb our spiritual sensitivity. David describes the weight of hidden sin this way: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away… my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3–4). Sin separates us from the felt experience of God’s presence, and over time, that separation can feel like distance and coldness.

This isn’t God being cruel it’s His mercy. That discomfort can be a wake-up call. As Galatians 6:7 reminds us, “Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” If we’re sowing to our flesh, we shouldn’t be surprised when we reap dryness.

But the cure is close: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us” (1 John 1:9). Start there. Acknowledge what you’ve been ignoring. Confess it. Don’t walk the road of apathy with unrepented sin in your backpack.

2. Have I neglected God’s means of grace?

We often overcomplicate spiritual growth. We chase new books, conferences, or “life hacks” for our souls. But spiritual passion is most often stirred through ordinary means: reading Scripture, praying honestly, worshipping consistently, serving others.

Dallas Willard wrote, “We can become like Christ by practicing the types of activities he engaged in.” Jesus prayed. He meditated on Scripture. He fasted. He served. These aren’t “extra” things; they’re essential channels of grace.

Neglecting these disciplines is like ignoring food and wondering why we’re weak. Psalm 1 says the one who delights in God’s Word “is like a tree planted by streams of water.” But what happens when the tree doesn’t drink?

If you've let go of these disciplines, start small. Try listening to an audio Bible during your commute. Read one Psalm a day. Pray with a friend for five minutes. These are not magic solutions but they are powerful seeds of restoration.

3. What is filling my mind?

Every day, we are being shaped by what we read, watch, scroll, and share. If we’re constantly absorbing trivial content, it should not surprise us when we struggle to care about what’s truly meaningful.

Neil Postman once said, “We are amusing ourselves to death.” He warned of a culture where truth is drowned in a sea of irrelevance. It’s not that we reject truth outright it’s that we scroll past it.

Paul’s words in Colossians 3:2 are a needed correction: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” It’s not just about avoiding sin it’s about choosing what’s worthy. If your daily intake is 90% noise and 10% truth, the apathy you feel may simply be the result of poor spiritual nutrition.

Try fasting from your phone or social media for a few days. Read a Christian book that stretches your soul. Reflect. Pray. We cannot become passionate about God when our minds are always distracted by everything else.

Healing the Heart, One Step at a Time

The road out of apathy won’t be instant. But it can begin today with just one step.

If sin is blocking your passion, confess it. If spiritual disciplines have slipped, restart them simply, and without shame. If your mind is filled with noise, create space for truth.

Most importantly, pray. Ask God to revive your heart. He is not indifferent to your struggle. In fact, Philippians 2:13 promises, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Even your desire to desire Him is from Him.

The temptation in apathy is to wait until we feel something. But passion often follows practice. Take the step, and pray for the spark.

And remember: spiritual life isn’t measured by emotional intensity. It’s measured by faithfulness. Even when your heart feels sluggish, your faithfulness honors God and He is faithful to restore what feels lost.

Share this with someone walking through spiritual dryness, or subscribe to our newsletter for more content that helps you love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength.