Spiritual Apathy

One of the other lines I heard at the conference last week was so good I thought it deserved its own post. How does this grab you: "Spiritual apathy, very often, is really spiritual atrophy."

I have to say, it really grabbed me by the lapels and shook me. Right now, I'm in the midst of another round of re-committing myself to a healthier diet and more exercise. And just like every other time I've done that in the past, it's a struggle to get going again, with the same soreness and pain as the last time, because my muscles have atrophied that much since the last "round." Which is why I can be apathetic about going for long periods--it is simply too painful in the short run to take the long road back toward better health.

I've noticed the same thing is true in the spiritual realm. It seems hard to be engaged with the spiritual disciplines because my spiritual muscles have atrophied. But worthy things are always hard, it seems, and if I want to avoid spiritual apathy, I have to correct my spiritual atrophy.