But how do we recognize passion? How do we cultivate it in our lives?
Often we end up equating passion with enthusiasm, heightened emotions, and flowery words of confidence, assurance, and commitment.
But Asaph, a lesser known contributor to the Psalms, brings about a different notion of passion as he writes:"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Who have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever"
(Psalm 73:23-26).
While we still find words of assurance and commitment within this psalm, we can also see gentle shifts in how this passion is put together differently.
In today's world, if you're looking for someone with passion or hoping to find passion within yourself, look for:
- Commitment: not just in a person's words, but in the duration of his or her endurance. Time measures best our steadfast hearts.
- Humility: not just in how a person puts others before him or herself, but also in how a person rarely makes an effort to be noticed, needs to be consoled, or seeks for reaffirmation regarding his or her choices and direction.
- Joy: not just in someone's energy at any moment, but also in his or her gentleness, ability to smile when no one's looking, and willingness to share with others for the simple sake of a blessing.
- Compassion: not just compassion that breaks his or her heart, but compassion that is willing to see to the depths of an issue and still know it is God who is being served and who has planted the seed for that particular passion.
And so, here's to passion. In some ways the bar is still set rather high, but in other ways, we've been released from superficial notions into the depths of passion that lives a long life.
More to come!
Jason <><
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