Navigating Apathy as a Single Christian

Navigating Apathy as a Single Christian

Have you ever had a moment where the vibe was just, whatever? I don’t care anymore. I’m just going to live, and whatever happens, happens. Maybe you’ve grown tired of trying, waiting, believing, or wishing for something different.

Guess what? You’re not alone. It is a normal occurrence to go through periods of emotional apathy in life. In fact, 35% of adult Americans have experienced periods of apathy. However, apathy can show up in unique ways for single Christians.

Singleness & Apathy

Between the weariness of having faith for marriage, feeling unseen at times, and the recurring disappointment of deferred hope, anyone would become apathetic after a while. I remember living in that place for a season.

I’d had enough. My energy was drained, and I did not know how I would be of use to others—but it was only a season. I learned a major lesson during that time: to remain true to my convictions even in the midst of apathy. Many people open the door to disobedience, casting off their convictions because apathy has developed into a form of unbelief.

Apathy Leads to Disbelief

This could be exactly what Sarah, Abraham’s wife, experienced in Scripture prior to giving her servant, Hagar, to Abraham to bear a child. At the time, it was a cultural practice for married women to give their female servants to their husbands to bring forth a child when the wife was barren. However, just because something is a cultural norm doesn’t mean it’s God’s way for us.

When the Lord came to visit Abraham in Genesis 18, He reiterated His promise of providing Abraham and Sarah with a son. Yet, Sarah laughed in apathy and disbelief:

And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. — Genesis 18:10-15 (KJV)

There is an Appointed Time for What We’re Believing For

There are a couple of things that stand out about this situation. At 90 years old, Sarah was in a position where her body had completely shut down from the possibility of having a child. She was at the very end of her hope—a major doorway to apathy.

She laughed at God’s exclamation of His promise to provide her with a child by natural means. It had become so unbelievable to her that it was almost absurd. Asking her to believe at this late stage felt like a joke.

But the Lord specified that there was an appointed time for her and Abraham to give birth. This is Kairos time—a specific time set by God for His purpose. Beautifully, the child that Sarah and Abraham eventually had was named Isaac, which means “laughter.”

What Made Us Apathetic Will One Day Fill Us With Joy If We Hang On

What made Sarah apathetic with disbelief in one season made her experience true laughter and joy in another—her Kairos season. I am believing God for things that He has confirmed will take place within my own Kairos season. In fact, that’s what I call this year: my Kairos year.

I am no longer apathetic. Instead, I am patient, steadfast, content, and embracing every spurt of joy. With each embrace of joy, hope returns to the places where apathy once lived.

As a reminder of encouragement to every single believer: singleness isn’t something to simply be endured. It’s an experience that can afford us joy, even over seasons of apathy. There is so much more God has for us, and we can enjoy every single part of the journey without getting stuck in disbelief.

Overcoming apathy is a vital part of our wholeness journey. Learn more about walking in wholeness in my book below: