15-5

Keeping Your Passion Alive

There is something about a passionate person. They seem more alive than everyone else. You want to be near them in the hopes that some of that passion will rub off on you and make your life more meaningful. I think that is exactly how Christ intended us to live our lives. In John 10:10 Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." In order to really be passionate about something, it has to consume your life. Several times in Scripture we are told to love God with everything that we have, our heart, soul, mind, and strength. I think that is everyone's goal, but there are some things that get in the way.

Routine is one of those things. If you are always doing the same thing the same way eventually the excitement dies down and you end up just going through the motions. Other things that kill our passion are pressures, distractions, and perfectionism. Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to deal with those things? If you find a way to get around those things, please let me know...

In order to find your passion, ask yourself a series of questions (1 rule, the answer can't be 'pay off the house' or 'get out of debt'):
If you could do anything with your life, what would it be?
What would you do with a millions dollars?

The answers to these questions will more than likely tell you what your passion is. By focusing on that thing you will find life to be much more exciting. For me that passion is music. I have been fortunate enough to be able to channel that passion through my job. But I realize that the quickest way to lose passion for what I do is to settle for superficiality in my life. I have to keep stretching myself continually, or that passion will fade. In ministry, its easy to get so caught up with the busyness of church that we don't have intimate time with God. This is where our passion for ministry starts to fade. It fades because we forget the reason we got into ministry in the first place...God! The key to maintaining passion in your ministry is to maintain an intimate relationship with God, without it all the pressures and distractions begin to take hold, and the passion begins to fade.

Enjoy the Journey