Is Passion what we need?
Following the Passions of your heart
Rev. Adam Fox
Adults are supposed to be passionate about things. As a surely teenager, my dad tried to instill this to me with lawn care. I had to mow the back yard weekly, and I wanted to do it as fast as possible so to get out of the heat and bugs and back into the air conditioning.
I really did not care if I missed a little strip or patterns. It was not my passion.
So, what are you passionate about?
As Americans, leaders in the world, we are encouraged to follow our hearts, to let our passions guide us. But that is not always correct.
I am glad you listen to your heart and your passions - but we should not ignore our other emotions and especially our brain.
I had a friend in high school who had his youth leader encourage him to follow his heart, and his passions. But he forgot to mention to listen to your brain as well. So my friend, did what his heart wanted. He packed a bag, dropped out of school, and went to the train yards and tried to ride the rails as a HOBO. Thankfully, his mother caught him before the train left.
Was this a passionate idea? Yes. Was it a thought-out idea? No!
Being smart, and passionate are hard to do. Usually we are one camp or the other. And before we continue, let me just point out that being passionate is not JUST limited to sex.
Sex and passion are to different things. Can we be passionate about our wife or husband? Of course! We all should be!
But passion is not the same definition as sex.
Passion is more than just the love of a woman or the joys of sex, it is something that brings you joy and happiness. It could be found it many things - in an author or book series, in a game, in a place, in sports, and especially in people and family.
Passionate and knowledgeable about these things, but not just letting your emotions take hold of you and making your head and body captive.
But as a Christian, what should I be passionate about?
We can be Christians and passionate Bears fans. Or Christians and OC Supertones fans. (Ska Ska Ska Ska)
But we need to be first and foremost we need to be passionate about God and being a Christian.
Being a Christian is more than just attending an hour service on sundays and saying a rehearsed prayer before meals.
Being a Christian is about putting God first in every aspect of your life. Trying to live a life that is like God. To love like God. To be compassionate like God. To be generous and gracious like God.
Loving like God is a hard thing to do. Loving others is something to be passionate about. Love.
Not sex or emotional love that we assume we have when we were young and at camp, but a deep Christ like God.
1 Corinthians 13 is a classic section of scripture that is the definition of love. It is used before most weddings and known to the world.
Loving like God is a hard calling and will produce great growth in all of us. For me, I am still working on it, being more like God. Being passionate about the things that HE is passionate about. People.
There is nothing wrong with being passionate and following your heart. But we need to be weary of being emotionally driven and relying onto emotions.
Listen to your heart, but also listen to your more rational head as well. But be excited and passionate about your relationship with God. About serving his people. Staying in the Word, daily. Praying. and keeping the fire for God fueled so it will NEVER flame out.
for me, as a continuous growing Christian, I am still working on loving like God loves us. Will I continue to be a passionate Bears fan, of course. But I am going to not live and die on each pass and win ... or more likely interception and loss.
Until next time my friends.
Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam
