Tag: Passion

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Change: What You Are Not Changing You Are Choosing

God is a God of ChangeWhat You Are Not Changing You Are Choosing is a quote from Laurie Buchanan. It suggests that you are implicitly accepting it as your reality by not taking action to change a situation.

We face choices daily—some we make actively, others through inaction. Yet, the truth remains: what we refuse to change, we are choosing. Scripture teaches us that God calls us active participants in our faith and lives, not passive bystanders.

Deuteronomy 30:19, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live.”

This verse reminds us that choosing to remain in unhealthy patterns, toxic environments, or spiritual complacency is still a choice—one that can keep us from the abundant life God intends for us.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis.

Are You Settling for Less Than God’s Best?

Are you staying in a situation that drains your spirit, hoping it will somehow change on its own? Are you waiting for the “right time” to grow spiritually, mend a broken relationship, or pursue the calling God has placed on your heart?

James 4:17, “If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin.”

Inaction is still a decision when we know we need to act.

Faith Requires Action

Jesus often called people to step out in faith before transformation happened. The blind man had to wash in the pool (John 9:7), Peter had to step out of the boat (Matthew 14:29), and the woman with the issue of blood had to push through the crowd to touch Jesus’ robe (Mark 5:27-28). Each had a choice: remain the same or move toward change.

“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.” – Oswald Chambers.

So ask yourself:

What area of my life am I waiting for God to change when He is waiting for me to take action?

What fear is holding me back, and am I trusting God’s strength over my own?

Am I praying for change but resisting the steps God is prompting me to take?

God’s Promise for Those Who Choose Change

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

God does not call you to change on your own—God equips, strengthens, and walks with you.

If you’re not actively choosing growth, renewal, and obedience to God’s direction, you may choose stagnation, fear, or comfort over calling. But the good news is, today is a new opportunity to choose differently.

What will you choose?

Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

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Peter Pan

Key to GreatnessPeter Pan said, “You can have anything in life if you sacrifice everything else for it.”

Peter wasn’t wrong. Paul put it a little differently.

Philippians 3:7, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Chasing the Fog

Accomplishments: many people, men, more likely, have sacrificed everything else to gain power, privilege, wealth, or fame. The worldly trappings and the expectations of others drove their view of self-worth; they believed Peter Pan before they believed Paul. They thought the uneasiness they felt was due to not having enough. It was just the next thing that would make a difference. Many would look back on their lives and see they had sacrificed everything in vain.

“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”—Jim Collins

I don’t want to be that man. I want my life to count for something. I want to leave a legacy that will echo through eternity. In my death, I want to be bigger than life itself.

Matthew 6:19-20, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”

Gravitational Pull of the World

The world pulls at us with the gravitational pull of the Sun. It wants to keep us in its orbit of mundane, meaningless accomplishments. Eventually, our orbit will decay, and we will find nothing but a fiery finish. When time has run out, we realize that all we have accumulated will be forgotten or exploited by others we have never met. We cannot reach back for a do-over. The do-over starts now.

Ecclesiastes 5:15, “Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.”

Joy is a choice, and God wants us to choose joy, but happiness is also part of God’s plan. Not perpetual happiness with laughs and birthday cake, but true deep-down happiness that grows from the soul. The type of happiness that brings tranquil sleep. It is a happiness that radiates throughout your body in quiet moments of reflection. It is a contentment that nothing else can give.

Never is a Long Time

Peter Pan also said, “Never is an awfully long time.” To never experience the pure love of Christ is indeed a long time. It makes life a marathon in Death Valley rather than a walk in the park. To always have to trust in yourself is exhausting. To always have to know the answers, have a plan, and make a move is to live a life full of anxiety and worry.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Seeking His kingdom and righteousness is not just putting your sights on eternity with Christ; it is to live a life worth living here on Earth. It is to free yourself from chasing the esteem of others and only pursuing God. It is about having faith, knowing that Christ is with you, and knowing your needs will be met. There will be setbacks and challenges, but you are not alone. You do not have to create the person that God wants you to be; God already created them; you must find them within yourself.

“People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.”—Edmund Hillary

Peter Pan, “To have faith is to have wings.”

Peter Pan wasn’t all wrong, but I’ll take Paul.

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Whose Life are You Going to Change?

Whose life are you going to change? I heard this as part of a discussion about the Oregon Ducks commemorating fallen players. As they hiked up the mountain trail, the coach asked them to remember those who helped them become who they are. On the return trip down the mountain, the coach asked them to think about those they would impact to change their lives in much the same way.

Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Life

“I am only one, but I am one. I can’t do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will” ~ Edward Everett Hale.

We all leave a legacy. That is not a choice we get to make. It is an artifact of our existence. As we go through life, we leave our fingerprints on everything we touch. The real question that comes to mind is: Are we approaching this with intentionality? Do we acknowledge that we will leave a legacy and have a plan to make it meaningful?

I firmly believe that God created each of us unique and perfect for his plans. We cannot be someone else, and they cannot be us. As people, we can value the characteristics and achievements of others, but we were not created to duplicate them. We each have our own path through life.

“What you are is God’s gift to you; what you become is your gift to God.” ~ Hans Urs von Balthasar

Change

Planning at the macro level, with blue-sky objectives and lifetime bucket lists, is admirable, but it doesn’t prepare you for your impact on the lives God sends through your life. These people will be imprinted by your presence, good or bad. Every interaction brings a person closer to Christ or pushes them further away. No interaction is neutral. When we acknowledge that every moment and every interaction is essential to God’s plan, that is when our royal legacy takes seed. Through the acceptance that we matter to God and, therefore, everyone we encounter also matters to Him, actions start to germinate.

Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

So often, we pass through life thinking that our immediate reaction won’t matter in the long run. God will forgive a momentary relapse to our old self. We can even go to the offended party and ask for forgiveness, but other eyes are watching, people we may never have direct contact with. These are the hidden lives God sends our way—people unprepared for direct interaction but still need encouragement. In that hidden moment, they may decide that Christianity does not offer the solution they seek.

Judgment

Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

In Revelations, the Bible talks about the White Throne of Judgement. Christ will judge the living and dead. Christians will not be judged for their sins; Christ has already forgiven them. They will be judged for their actions for Christ since they knew Him. Don’t let these moments slip away. Be intentional. Ask God for opportunities. Make a plan, rehearse your approach, be open to opportunities, and obey. We are not all destined to do great things, but we all can be great to someone.

Revelations 20: 12, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”

Attending church, Bible Studies, praying, and mission trips prepare you for God’s plan for your life. But your true glorification of Christ is through expanding His Kingdom here on earth. You accomplish this by changing the lives of the people God puts in front of you. At that moment in front of the White Throne, you don’t have to have done anything; your salvation is assured. But I don’t think I would want to defend the position that my lifestyle, financial security, social position, or personal insecurity were more important. I could have had an impact for Christ; I just didn’t.

Hebrews 13:16, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

Homecoming

Homecoming should be a celebration. We should look forward to it. If you are a little trepid about explaining what you have done for Christ since you accepted Him as your personal Savior, maybe you need to rethink your plan. It is never too late to start anew. Leave a legacy, change a life. Make your homecoming a party to look forward to.

1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. “

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Purpose and Meaning, Aspiration, Not Occupation

Can we find true purpose and meaning through aspiration, not occupation? In today’s world, people often associate their identity with their careers or vocations, believing that their worth and purpose are tied to what they do for a living. However, Christianity offers a different perspective: true purpose and meaning come not from occupation but from godly aspiration—seeking to live out God’s calling and aligning our lives with His will.

“View yourself as a precious vessel He crafted for a unique purpose.” – Patricia Ennis.

The Power of Aspiration

In Christianity, aspiration is about more than personal dreams or ambitions. It reflects a desire to glorify God and live according to His purposes. When we aspire to love, serve, and reflect Christ’s character, we tap into something far more significant than worldly success. This change in thinking can take many forms: fostering compassion, spreading the Gospel, advocating for justice, or cultivating spiritual growth. These aspirations serve others and bring us closer to God, aligning our hearts with His divine plan.

Isaiah 43:7, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Occupation vs. Aspiration

“What you are is God’s gift to you; what you become is your gift to God.” – Hans Urs von Balthasar.

While jobs provide necessary structure and support, they do not define us in God’s eyes. Many people feel unfulfilled in careers that do not align with their faith or deeper values. This discontent stems from the realization that work alone cannot fulfill the soul’s longing for meaning. The Bible reminds us that whatever we do, we should do it as unto the Lord.

Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people.”

Whether we are teachers, office workers, or stay-at-home parents, it’s not the job itself that gives meaning but how we use it to serve God’s purposes.

The Transformative Journey

“You were made by God and for God. And until you understand that, life will never make sense.” – Rick Warren

Even mundane tasks take on new significance when we focus on godly aspirations. Teachers may see their role as educating and shaping young minds for Christ. An office worker might find purpose in being a beacon of integrity and kindness in their workplace. By centering our lives on Christ and aspiring to live out His love in every action, our daily experiences become opportunities to witness and serve.

2 Timothy 1:9, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.”

Cultivating Aspiration

“Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

To embrace this Christian view of aspiration, we must seek God in prayer and reflection, asking Him to reveal His plan for our lives. The Bible encourages us to set our hearts on things above, not earthly matters.

Colossians 3:2, “Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth.”

We discover our true purpose by nurturing aspirations that align with God’s will—loving our neighbors, spreading the Good News, and growing in faith. Surrounding ourselves with a faith community that encourages spiritual growth can help us stay focused on what matters eternally rather than temporally.

Conclusion

In the Christian pursuit of purpose, it’s essential to remember that our worth is rooted in being children of God, not in our jobs or worldly achievements. When we nurture our aspirations following God’s will, we unlock a more profound sense of meaning that transcends occupation. This perspective enriches our lives and enables us to fulfill our higher calling—to serve God and impact the world for His glory. Embrace your aspirations in Christ, for they are the accurate compass guiding you toward a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

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Love Without Words

Acts of Kindness

Love without words is the most challenging love of all; It requires the person expressing their love to understand the recipient’s love language and to take physical action. “I love You” is easy to say even when you don’t mean it. It is difficult when it connotates weakness or vulnerability. Determining what a person needs to feel loved requires attention to detail. Showing love without words isn’t about saying what you think is loving, but doing what they need to feel loved. To do that, you must take the time to understand and care.

1 John 3:18, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Words and Speech

“Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning.” – Frederick W. Faber.

Kind words do heal. They bring peace to the weary. Kind words should never be used sparingly. They are the suave to the wounds of life. We should always try to communicate with love and compassion. The world is full of trouble; we should not add to it.

Proverbs 16:24, “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

But it is easy for Christians to talk. We placate people with words, quote scripture, and offer prayers. Prayer is always good and should precede every action, but it is not enough. Scripture is fundamental to understanding what God wants us to do, but it is not the doing.

The use of words when action is needed paints Christianity as hypocritical. Jesus modeled what He taught. He demonstrated what He said through His actions. We need to be doers of the word, not just sayers.

James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

What would it be like to sit quietly listening, then wordlessly act, meeting a need without being asked or receiving praise? When all you do is give advice, console, be empathetic, and then move on with your life, you have done more harm than good. You have provided evidence of your shallowness and the shallowness of being Christian, harming the one you speak to, and grieving the Holy Spirit.

Titus 1:16, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”

Action and Deeds

2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

For what they have done, an action word. It does not say we will receive judgment for everything we say, but what we have done. I would argue that saying without doing it sometimes does great harm.

James 2:17, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Faith without works is dead. That is not hard to understand. One of the most rewarding things a Christian can do is to help someone in need without being asked. The joy of seeing a need and then using the resources God has put at your disposal to meet that need is overwhelming. To do it anonymously, praising God for the opportunity, is even better. God loves that we acknowledge that He, and He alone, makes it possible. He loves that we act according to the gospel, redistributing His resources. There will always be an opportunity to witness to that person after their need is met. But meeting their need opens the door to that conversation.

James 2:26, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

Random Acts of Kindness

When a stranger walks into someone’s life without provocation and does something to help, it leaves an indelible mark. People will not remember what was said, but they will remember the act of a stranger. Giving generously of your time is more extravagant than giving generously of your money.

Plan “random” acts of kindness that embed a gospel presentation.

Train yourself to be ready to give, serve, show love, and act in every season or circumstance.

Become the sort of person for whom Jesus-like acts of kindness become natural.

Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Randon Acts:

      •  Mail a gift card to someone going through a rough season (not text or email)
      •  Mow your neighbor’s lawn
      •  Rake your neighbor’s leaves
      •  Shovel your neighbor’s driveway and/or walkway
      •  Weed your neighbor’s flower garden
      •  Take out your neighbor’s bins on trash day
      •  Leave an encouraging note on a car windshield in the parking lot
      •  Offer to babysit so a couple you know can have a date night
      •  Offer to babysit the kids of a single mom so she can go shopping or have a few hours to herself (make this a regular thing!)
      •  Mentor a young adult.
      •  Offer a free class to kids (or beginner-level adults) on a topic in which you are skilled or knowledgeable: crochet, history, meal planning, budgeting, soccer, art, photography, woodworking, car maintenance, etc.
      •  Help someone move
      •  Talk to someone on the street. Buy them a meal, hang out with them, give them a hug or an affirming touch.
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Getting in the Way of God

Getting in the way of God, what does that mean? This idea is a concept that I struggle with constantly. It started with a passage in Mark.

Mark 8:31–33, “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Jesus strongly rebukes Peter. What did Peter do to deserve this type of treatment? Peter put his desire and the world’s desires before God’s desire. He thought he had a better plan for saving his Jewish people. The problem was that Peter didn’t understand the right question. It was not saving the Israelites from the Romans but saving all humanity from destruction.

That took me back to the early 2000’s. We had a men’s retreat at my church. A recession was in progress, and some men were looking for jobs. After one man stood before the assembled men and asked for help in his job search, Leo Wells of Wells Real Estate Investment Trust, a relatively wealthy man, said not to get so involved in good works that you get in the way of God’s plans.

At the time, it struck me as a very unChrist-like statement. Should we not always do as much as we can with what we have to help another Christian?

1 John 3:17 ~ “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”

Getting in the Way

1 Corinthians 2:11, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

It took time and perspective to understand what Leo was saying. I looked at the crisis in my life for direction. How many times did God use a crisis to get my attention? How often have I walked away from a crisis with a greater appreciation for the experience?

We hate crises, uncertainty, and vulnerability. For me, it was mainly about how it affected others. People depended on me, and I was vulnerable. I didn’t know how long this situation would last, how bad it would get, or how I would keep my commitments.

It is in these moments that we cling to Christ. Many times, it is the crisis that causes us to rest in Christ’s promise never to desert us. A crisis is the ultimate litmus test of our faith. It is not the blessings and good times; it is when we are weakest and most vulnerable.

Had well-meaning Christians interfered with what God was trying to accomplish with me during a crisis, I may not have learned the lesson He had for me. I can’t say I looked at it that way during my dark hours; I wanted help, relief, and certainty. I wanted to get as far from my problem as humanly possible; I didn’t care what that looked like.

How Do We Know

Jeremiah 32:19, “Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.”

I find that there are times when we experience the downside to wisdom. Ignorance is bliss. God opens our eyes to His wisdom, and our limited human existence freezes. We don’t know how to deal with it. God knows everything, and we know so little about our impact on the future. What is our response when presented with an opportunity to help someone out of a crisis?

There is only one viable response: PRAYER. Every situation is unique. Every path forward has its own story. There are times when we should step in and help. But we must be aware that there are times when we need to trust God a little bit more. There may be a purpose behind the situation that we do not see. The best worldly advice I can give is to see if God is not holding open another door that does not include us. Prayer is the only way you can decern this.

Job 42:2, “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

Constantly, others present me with opportunities to help. It seems the opportunities are endless. I have tried to learn not to be impulsive. My kneejerk reaction is to do something. The correct answer is to pray about it. Let God do His thing. I hate to see people in pain, but sometimes, a little pain is precisely what God intends. I think about the long-term consequences of my help. Will it promote independence and growth, or will it foster dependency?

Leo’s Echo

It has been almost a quarter of a century, and that one statement by Leo haunts me. When do I play, and when do I sit on the sidelines? When am I helping with God’s plan for another, and when am I getting in the way? I have gained the wisdom to ask the question but not the wisdom to answer it. That is troubling.

1 John 2:6, “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

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What is Your Art?

Spiritual Gifts

What is your art? That was the question Charlie Paparelli posed this morning. Charlie is what I would call a distant friend. He is one of the great minds in the Atlanta entrepreneurial ecosystem. We often met through High Tech Ministries, but I always considered him a rung above me; Charlie drew me in through his directness. He would ask the crucial, tricky question without sugarcoating it.

This question is one of those critical, challenging questions. What do you care so much about that you don’t care if other people find it acceptable? Charlie gave the example of his sister, who became a well-known artist in South Florida. Early on, when her art was still unpopular, Charlie asked why she didn’t paint more pictures that people liked as opposed to what she liked. Her answer was that she was an artist, not a commercial painter. What she did was deeply personal and important to her.

Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.”

This concept got me thinking about my art. Now, pragmatic solutions and logic are my entire world. That is how God wired my brain. That type of personality doesn’t lend itself to natural creativity as one would traditionally think of creativity. Things like music, art, or poetry are not in my wheelhouse. So, what is my art?

Philippians 2:13, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

MY ART

For me, I would guess it is human potential. In my lifetime, I have met some extraordinary people. People who soar above me on eddies that I find unreachable. When I listen to great music, it brings me to tears at the beauty that one person can create. The emotion is so unfiltered I don’t know how they channel it. Sometimes, I find an artisan who created such an extraordinary piece that I want to gently slide my hand across the surface to feel the texture; the love that went into it is tactual. The greatness that humans are capable of is beyond my understanding. It reminds me that God put people on this earth to use their gifts to glorify Him, and that glorification takes us all to deeper meaning.

All the passion, talent, skills, and drive to create great things are gifts from God that we can use to honor Him or ourselves. The flaw I find in people who are never satisfied is that they are living for themselves, not their maker. They will never achieve their true potential until they use their God-given gifts to honor Him.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

I can’t say I care if self-absorbed people believe this or not. My reaction is the same as not believing in gravity; it doesn’t mean you can fly. You can go through life denying this and wander in an emotional desert, or readjust your thinking and have joy and contentment. It’s your choice.

True purpose and meaning do not come from the gifts God gave you but from the application of those gifts.

Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” 

YOUR ART

So, what is your art? What are you so passionate about that you will not allow it to be diluted by those who disagree? Now, I realize that internal needs drive many of our passions. The need to be accepted or liked is a prime example. When we feel isolated, we become vulnerable to fake passions. These are passions driven by emotional needs, not God-given gifts.

Ephesians 4:12 “Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger.”

I want you to think about what you would continue to do even if all your friends thought you were crazy. It is quite the opposite of emotional codependence; you do it for yourself, not for anyone else. It is the thing that makes you quirky or illogical at times. Your art is also the one that brings you the most joy.

“Starve your distractions, feed your focus.” –Daniel Goleman

1 Corinthians 4:20, “For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.”

THE WRAP UP

We can wrap this back around to your calling. What is God driving you toward? I would suggest that your art is part of your calling.

Even small actions driven by passion can have a significant impact. Teaching, sharing, or simply being enthusiastic about what you love can create ripples that influence and benefit others in ways you might not immediately see.

“On the plains of hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who, at the dawn of decision, sat down to wait, and waiting died”- George W. Cecil.

Do not allow the world to dampen your art, your passion. Do and be; don’t wait for others to come beside you.

Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

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Doing Nothing Accomplishes Nothing

Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

It is interesting that as I open my eyes to the people around me, I see the greatness that God has put in each of us. I can see the light in their eyes come on whenever we touch on their passion; they sit taller; their back is straighter, and they’re more alert and engaged. It is true even when they do not know their passion. The person inside of them comes alive.

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

The person God wants you to be is alive and well. But it is kept in chains because we are afraid of being everything we were meant to be. Somehow, we confuse serving with servitude. We confuse the free desire to be a benefit to others with the worldly view of being subordinate. We have this innate desire to be something more significant, but we somehow are afraid of actually being that person.

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan

It is not you but the Holy Spirit in you who will guide you. The first fear you have to let go of is the fear of failure. The freedom you seek is not the freedom to chase worldly ambition but the freedom of allowing Christ to pick your path. With obedience, we eliminate the worry of failure; it’s God’s plan, and He never fails.

Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

ASK

Everything starts with prayer. Ask that your real passion be made visible and complete. Set aside your worldly needs, God knows you have them, and He will meet those needs.

Matthew 6:25-34, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Concentrate on asking for guidance for living your life with the highest level of joy and obedience.

I sincerely believe that one of two things will happen in your life; either the passion revealed to you will become your vocation, or God will give you a tentmaking vocation that also supports your passion. God will always connect the two. God does not expect you to survive on air while chasing your God-given passion. God is enormous on sustainability.

John 6:27 “Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him, God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

DO

Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

“You can’t steer a stationary ship” – I don’t know who initially said it; I assume a pirate; seems fitting. You cannot get anywhere without movement. The most remarkable ideas and plans in life fail for lack of execution. Sometimes making the wrong decision helps you find the right decision. Doing nothing accomplishes nothing.

In some miracles, Jesus asked the receiver to do something. First, turning water into wine required them to “fill the jars with water” (John 2:1-11). Next, there was a blind man who was asked to “go to the pool of Siloam” (John 9:6-10). Next, a grown man healed of leprosy after dipping seven times in a river (2 Kings 5:11-14). Finally, Jesus made a coin appear in a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27). Please don’t wait for an answer; start searching for it. God will direct your steps if you ask. The best place to start is to inventory what God has already done through you up to this point.

James 2:17-18, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

I am always surprised by the number of people that discount their experiences. Things that we try and don’t like or are not good at doing open the door for what we enjoy and can do well. Things we enjoyed doing but didn’t seem to have an objective are discounted as leisure-time activities with no material value other than to entertain us. Everything that happens is part of God’s master plan for your life; every moment has a message; each experience is a guidepost.

Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

ENJOY

Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Once you have a rough idea of what God has already done in your life, you can start moving toward the future. He will build off of your past to create your future. You don’t have to create the person God made you be; it is already there. Instead, you need to find that person and coax them out of the darkness.

God has never wanted His people to live stressful, uneventful lives. He understands how He has made each of us and understands that joy brings us both physical and mental health. That is how He created us. We will receive our highest fulfillment and satisfaction from living the life God has prepared for us.

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

It is your life; it is your shot at happiness. You can focus on worldly success, knowing that in the end, it will not matter, or you can focus on chasing the pure passion of God’s desire for you. That desire will last for eternity.

Isaiah 55:12, “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

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God’s Insatiable Love for Us

Psalm 31:7, “I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul. “

Love is a tricky animal to tame. It can be the thrill of a lifetime while simultaneously being our greatest fear. Love is one of those things we crave to the point of distraction. We know, untamed, it will destroy us, and yet true love is a bond that can’t be broken. We have committed so many sins chasing after love. If we were ever the fool, it was because of love. But there is only one pure, deep, passionate, and powerful love; it comes from Christ.

The love that God lavishes on His people never operates apart from His holiness, mercy, omnipotence, justice, or other divine attributes. It is the glue that holds all of His attributes together.

PURE

1 John 4:18, “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. “

Pure love drives out fear. When we rest in the arms of the one who truly loves us, we are secure. Pure love is described in Corinthians. When we read this passage from a human perspective, we see a goal or an objective to which to aspire. To be all of these things for another seems impossible. But God is all of these things for us. Corinthians not only describes how we should approach love toward each other, but it also describes how God loves us. God did not create two standards, one for us and one for Himself. He created a single standard of how He loves us, then asks us to try to love others the same way. Reread this passage; this time, read it as God’s description of how He loves you.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud, or rude. It does not demand its way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. “

How pure is this? He was scourged, humiliated, and hung on a cross to demonstrate His love for us. He did not do this because we deserved salvation. He did it to open the door to salvation for wicked, stubborn people. His love for us was not dependent on our love for Him.

Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

DEEP

Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Several passages in the Bible help us understand that God’s love runs deeper than anything we have ever experienced. This last week, NASA reported to have observed a single star 28-billion light-years away; that’s 168 trillion miles. When God says that nothing in all of creation can separate us from His love, imagine 168 trillion miles in front of you, in back of you, above you, and below you. His love is greater than all of that. But more importantly, it is the depth of His love within your heart. It goes to the core of who you are; who you were created to be. You were created to be loved by the author of the universe.

Ephesians 3: 17-19, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

PASSIONATE

John 11:35, “Jesus wept”

Jesus wept. I don’t know of a more provocative statement than this. The God of the universe, a perfect being in nature and existence, cried over one of His own. Knowing the nature of Christ and the nature of man, it is incredible that He would weep over us, but Christ does. He does because we are part of His family; we are errant, headstrong, wayward children, but we are His children.

1 John 3:1, “See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!”

One of the more remarkable aspects of God’s passion for us is that He knew what we would become from creation. All of our pigheadedness still gives Him great pleasure to call us His own.

Ephesians 1:5, “God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.”

All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of His wings; His passion for us is unceasing. There is nothing we can do to make Him desert us. All we need to do is repent, and He is gracious to forgive.

Psalm 36:5-7, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings. “

God left us a guide and companion so that we would always know He is present in our lives. He understands that we cannot love as He does. He gave us a voice to reassure us when we feel alone or forgotten. The benefits of the love of God towards His children are blessings of joy for those who keep His Commandments.

Romans 5:5, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. “

POWERFUL

Job 36:22, “God’s power is unlimited. He needs no teachers.”

Job said it very succinctly; His power is unlimited. There is nothing He can’t do; no task is too small or too big. His power is beyond our ability to understand. The God that loves you, the God that wept over you, is the God of unlimited power that can make your life meaningful. He not only wraps you in His love, but He also has the power to protect you from evil. Here in Job, we read the definition of His power.

Job 26:7-14, “God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight. He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with his clouds. He created the horizon when he separated the waters: he set the boundary between day and night. The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke. By his power, the sea grew calm. By his skill, he crushed the great sea monster. His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?”

LASTLY

1 Corinthians 2:9, “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him'”

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A Gift Worthy for a King

I was loading more music for my car today and fell down a rabbit hole. I have a media server with more than 60,000 songs collected over the last 60 years; it went from records to cassettes to compact discs to solid-state drives. It is about every genre. I listened to the song In Christ Alone by Christina Grimmie, and the rabbit hole opened up.

She was about 15 when she recorded it. She was a neat kid and a great Christian. Initially, she only performed on YouTube with almost 4 million followers. Later on, she stared on The Voice and rose to an acceptable level of fame. Then, on June 10, 2016, Christina Grimmie was fatally shot at the age of 22 while signing autographs following a concert performance at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. Her assailant committed suicide, leaving no evidence of motive, only speculation.

Every time I hear this song, I can’t help but think about what could have been. I do not doubt that God cried on that day. Not because it was unexpected or unknown, but because the world would lose out on an extraordinary talent. I understand that God uses all things for His glory. We, the ones left behind, lose a light illuminating the darkness. Six years after her death, people like me are still affected. People like me ask this one fundamental question.

If my life was asked of me today, and my greatest passion in life was laid at the feet of Christ would He weep because of a life cut short or because of a life lived unfulfilled?

When Jesus heard that Lazarus had died, He wept.

John 11:35, “Jesus wept.”

As He was entering Jerusalem before His crucifixion, He wept.

Luke 19:41, “And when he came near, he beheld the city, and wept over it.”

When I look at the passions of my heart, what do I see? How do I invest my time, money, and gifts? What do I think about when I go to sleep at night? What books do I read, what podcast do I listen to, and what discussions do I gravitate toward? What’s my passion?

When I lay that passion at the feet of Christ, how would he react? Is it a worthy gift for a King?

“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” – Anonymous 1926 Methodist church announcement.

Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

We all have a desire to have meaning and worth. We all create a unique sphere of influence to leave our mark. If we don’t have purposeful intent, we will be part of someone else’s meaning and worth. Chart your course. Through prayer, scripture, and Godly counsel, find your path. Once you have found it, own it; make it meaningful. Don’t worry about results, only obedience. It’s not about creating a ripple through eternity; it’s about creating a tsunami. Never sell yourself short. Never let the world determine your worth. You are more than the sum of your experiences.

Some people, maybe even most, would equate passion with calling. They might say that we are called to something by God, which becomes our passion. I add a slight nuance to that. I believe our calling is to a people group; it might be children, young adults, inner-city or a foreign country. Our passion is the gifting we use to execute our calling; we may be teachers, artists, musicians, or leaders. Our calling may change over time as we mature. God will send us in a different direction. Our gifting, and passion, may vary when we are younger as we experience new things, but at some point, it comes to rest on something. The problem is that we often don’t know how to use our passion to make a living and minimize its importance. We see the value of God’s calling on our life, but not necessarily our passion.

J. I. Packer, in his book “A Quest for Godliness,” stated, “a half-truth masquerading as the whole truth becomes a complete untruth.” Therefore, don’t deceive yourself concerning who you are. When you lie to yourself about any aspect of who God made you, you degrade all of who God said you are.

1 Corinthians 7:17, “Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.”

My greatest hope is that we all find our passion that glorifies God and chase it all the days of our life; that we take the riches that God has created within us and use them to praise Him. My primary passion is small business development. My current calling is to help impoverished third-world Christians rise above their poverty. I have secondary passions like black and white photography, the outdoors, and listening to music. All of our passions should be to glorify our King. Secondary passions are the ones we hold with an open hand. Our primary passion is the gift we set as His feet; it is the first fruits of our existence. It is what gets us up in the morning and lulls us to sleep at night.

Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Christina Grimmie found and chased her passion throughout her short life. She did not wait for a better time or more clear direction. She didn’t wait for her passion to be discovered; she put herself out there. Her life was cut short by what still seems like a senseless act, but her impact continues. People like me, and maybe you, ask ourselves; Do we use our passion to present a worthy gift to our King? She did. Will you? If you do, the ground will shift on the ocean floor and the tsunami will rise.

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