Apathy - Bastard Son of Safety and Security

As I think about the history of church people, or people in general for that matter, it's clear that when everything is going well, all the well seem to get going. That is, those who are dedicated to the ideology and community of the church begin to become a smaller and smaller percentage of the Christian population. When something is "easy" or "cool" it attracts all the wrong crowds.

Take for example the time in church history right after Constantine (Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire under emperor Theodosius (r. 379-395) not Constantine, though Constantine definitely contributed to it's popularity; as per Ask Me Now). Yes the popularity of Christianity provided many opportunities for theological reflection, but there was also a safety in being a Christian. In fact, there was more than safety; becoming a Christ follower was a good political move. The church became "cool" and popular, attracting those who were just in it for themselves. The cancer of apathy slowly took over and the commitment dwindled. Someone once said that the church grew more under persecution than it did under popularity.

We don't feel a need for God when we feel safe. We still need him; but we forget. It's our education that gets us the job, our job that pays for our house and food, and it's the house and food that fulfill our needs. We become apathetic because we can provide for ourselves, we aren't hiding in the catacombs struggling to stay alive. But the real need for spirituality remains, hidden under the satisfaction of physical safety and security. How, then, do we unveil this need and shake off our apathy? How do we learn to live and love with compassion and desire not blind to the truth?