What are some warning signs of apathy? - Apathy - TouchPoints

Psalm 81:11But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around.

Jeremiah 6:10To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the Lord. They don’t want to listen at all.

Jeremiah 7:13While you were doing these wicked things, says the Lord, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.

Jeremiah 25:3-7For the past twenty-three years . . . the Lord has been giving me his messages. I have faithfully passed them on to you, but you have not listened. Again and again the Lord has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention.

Jeremiah 35:15Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, “Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you would not listen to me or obey me.

Ezekiel 3:7“But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn.”

Zephaniah 1:6“They no longer ask for the Lord’s guidance or seek my blessings.”

Zechariah 1:4“Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’”

Zechariah 7:11-13“Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.”

Ignoring or neglecting God’s Word are warning signs of apathy. When we cut ourselves off from God, we cut off our lifeline to the One who gives us purpose and joy.

Jeremiah 2:30“I have punished your children, but they did not respond to my discipline.”

Jeremiah 5:3Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected . . . they have refused to repent.

Jeremiah 17:23“They stubbornly refused to pay attention or accept my discipline.”

Jeremiah 32:33“My people have turned their backs on me and have refused to return. Even though I diligently taught them, they would not receive instruction or obey.”

Refusing to respond to God’s discipline, which is meant to move us in the right direction, is an apathy warning sign because it shows that we just don’t care. But God’s discipline will sooner or later turn to punishment, and we will weep from punishment’s pain instead of rejoicing in growth from his correction.

Genesis 19:14So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The Lord is about to destroy it.” But the young men thought he was only joking.

No longer taking sin seriously is a warning sign of apathy. When we can’t find anything bad enough to outrage us, we have become apathetic to the world’s condition and to what God values. We may be falling in step with Satan rather than walking with God.

Malachi 1:6-14The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “. . . You have shown contempt for my name!” But you ask, “How have we ever shown contempt for your name?” “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.” Then you ask, “How have we defiled the sacrifices?” “You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies . . . You say, “It’s too hard to serve the Lord,” and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

When we are lazy or serve God with mediocrity, we can be sure that our hearts have become apathetic as well—a clear warning sign.

Psalm 106:7, 13Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea . . . Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!

Forgetting God’s past acts of mercy and love or taking him and his love for granted are signs of apathy. When our memories of God’s blessings fade, so will our contentment with life.

Isaiah 32:9Listen, you women who lie around in ease. Listen to me, you who are so smug.

Becoming increasingly lazy is a sign of apathy. Winning a race and enjoying its rewards is difficult to do from a rocking chair.