Passion

The other day, I was talking with Ryan about what my career might be. He asked me, 'What am I passionate about?'

This is a good question. I thought about it for a minute, then said, 'Well, I really like what I am doing in accounting. I guess, I am passionate about that.' But am I really passionate about accounting? To answer this, we need to define what it means to be passionate.

We too often think of the literal definition: 'compelled or ruled by intense emotion.' Which I guess works for this meaning; however, what are we compelled by? Or, better yet, compelled to?

So, yea, I might love accounting. I might love what I am doing. I might have intense emotion about doing accounting for the rest of my life. But is that what it means to be passionate?

After a few minutes of discussion, Ryan clarified what his meaning of passion was. Passion to him was to be willing to sacrifice anything to see that area redeemed. (I hope at this point that I am not misquoting Ryan. Please let me know if I did, Ryan, or if I completely missed what you were saying.)

So, what areas am I so willing to give everything to see changed? It has been pretty interesting over the last few days to think about. Is it

business,

accounting,

campuses,

or somewhere else?

One of the things I guess that I should examine is where am I willing to spend my life. Is it in business? Do I feel like that would be a good fit for me? Or do I feel so passionately about it to try to change it for the better? Where do I feel needs redeemed enough to sacrifice all else?

I will have do some 'growing up' in the next few months and decide what I might do with my life. I need to think about where I feel most passionately about. I need to examine where I might be able to make a change. It should be interesting.

A Mighty King

The Hebrews expected a powerful king who would deliver them from the oppressive hands of the Romans. They expected to be set free from this horrible oppression in this life. That's not what they got though. And what did it lead to?

Disappointment.

Anger.

Rage.

Crucifixion.

The Hebrews were looking for Christ to set them free here, now. They did not see the real message behind his teachings -- that the freedom He brings comes after our "physical lives." (I wonder if they had just forgotten about Isaiah 52-53 at this point. The description there clearly shows that Christ had to die in order to bring freedom.) But them missing the point of Christ's message isn't that important here. What is more important is the facet of the expectations of Christ, the disappointment felt when those expectations aren't met, and the reaction to the disappointment.

We all have expectations of what God will do, should do, is doing. We all want something of Him. This isn't any secret. Just think for a little while -- what do you expect from God?

Is it healing in a certain area?

Is it a relationship with someone?

Is it that He provides for your every want?

What happens if He "lets you down?" What happens if what you expect from Him doesn't occur?

See, all of these expectations come from our understanding of who God really is. He is a forgiving God, while at the same time being a just God. He is a loving God, enough to send His own son here to reunite us with Him. He loves us enough to give us His spirit to know Him. He is a holy God. That last one hopefully doesn't trip us up. Yes, He is holy, but He is not too holy that we cannot come before Him. Christ has taken our place and has allowed us to come before Him with our issues and our problems.

So, what is your understanding of God? Is it a God who is so holy He cannot even be approached? Is it a compassionate God who loves us enough to unite us with Him through His son? Is it a God who is supposed to give us whatever we want, whenever we want?

How should we respond to disappointments? Should we be upset, turn our backs and find our own way? That is what we usually do, right? I mean, whenever something isn't going the way I planned, I usually try to do things my way. Boy, it is funny how that makes us fall flat on our face.

TRUST. That should be our reaction. Trust that God has a bigger plan for what is happening. Trust that God will bring you through. Trust that God knows what He is doing.