Our Passion Led Us Here

If I were your enemy…

I’d seek to dim your passion, dull your interest in spiritual things, dampen your belief in God’s ability and His personal concern for you and convince you that the hope you’ve lost in never coming back–and was probably just a lie to begin with.

My oldest son loves football. I mean, loves it. He’s a fan of baseball, too but nothing comes close to how much he loves football. He knows the different positions; he knows the names of coaches and players. He knows how to run routes and what it means to line up in the shotgun position and when and how to blitz the quarterback. The first thing he does when he gets up in the morning, is grab his football. The first thing he wants to do when his dad gets off work in the afternoon, is play football.

Everyone who knows him would tell you…the kid is passionate about football. His dream is to play college ball and one day in the NFL. To him, there is nothing in the world better than the game. He eats, sleeps and breathes it. Using every moment that he can to learn more about the sport, to practice and to improve.

His passion is one my favorite things about him. He just doesn’t quit. Yet, at the same time, his love for football often convicts me in my spiritual life. What would my life look like if I were as passionate about my faith…about growing in Christ…as Noah is about football? What could God do in me and through me…if only I were as passionate as my son?

That’s a tough question to have to stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself. It’s that recognition, deep within me, that I’m not living up to my potential in any way. I’m not living up to God’s hope for me. His desire for me. When I force myself to examine my own faith, I stand face to face with the reality that maybe my faith isn’t as strong as I like to think it is. Maybe, the enemy has slipped in and put just enough doubt in God’s goodness in my head that I am living a life that is watered down and lukewarm. Maybe my own passion has started to fade when life gets in the way and things don’t look like I want them to.

I think our passion led us here. Me and you (whoever and wherever you are reading this). Our passion for more. More prayer. More faith. More conviction. More time in the word. More time in Worship. More time with Jesus. More like Christ. Distractions come and go. Passion fades. But, our God remains the same.

I find my passion dwindling when my big prayers seem to go unanswered. When those things that you want with an intensity that it knocks you down, don’t come to pass. When those relationships that you want to see renewed, continue down the same road. When that person you’ve been praying for continues to act out in a way that breaks your heart. When your child struggles and can’t find a place of peace. When that cancer doesn’t go away or that job doesn’t work out or that relationship crumbles…it’s easy then for passion to fade.

It’s hard to be passionate about something that you feel you get nothing from. My son loves football because it makes him feel something; whether it’s pride when your favorite team wins the National Championship (Roll Tide!) or whether it’s physical pain when he’s tackled by someone bigger than he is. Our faith and our passion for God should be the same way. We tend to think that because we are saved we should have only the good feelings; the happy vibes. Our faith doesn’t entitled us to nothing but sunshine and rainbows. In fact, I guarantee that you’re going to struggle and face trial because of your faith. James even tells us so.

[bctt tweet=”When I force myself to examine my own faith, I stand face to face with the reality that maybe my faith isn’t as strong as I like to think it is…” username=”CourtneyKirklnd”]

But when we press on and lean in…the victory is sweeter than anything we’ve ever known. Passion is our driving force in this journey of faith. It’s what keeps us going. What gives us our want to. It’s what gets us out of bed when it’s still dark outside to meet with the Lord in the wee hours of the morning. It’s what keeps us coming back to the Word time and time again, even when we don’t want to and feel like God isn’t there. Because we know better. We know he is always there. Passion says that you fight for what you love, what you want, with intensity and gusto.

Have you ever looked up the definition of “passion” in the dictionary? I included it here for  you..

strong and barely controllable emotion; the suffering and death of Jesus.

Christ was passionate about us, even to the point of death.  May our hearts desire the passion for HIM that he deserves in return.

For Discussion

(feel free to answer in the comments or privately on your own)

• Have you ever found yourself without passion for the things of Christ?
• Can you identify what brought you to that place? How did you feel?
• What is the main tactic you find the enemy using to target you in this area (this will look different for everyone)?
• What tactics can you use to overcome the lack of passion you may be feeling right now OR to prevent yourself from falling into that trap?

Focus Verse

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:12-13