Living Passionately

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come

that they may have life, and have it to the full.

-- John 10:10

It’s said that if you find a job that lets you do what you love, you’ll never work another day in your life.

That’s a good observation when it comes to career planning. But it’s also true when it comes to life in general. The Bible tells us that Jesus arrived to give us life -- and to give it to us abundantly. This reveals that God doesn’t want us to live out our days by simply going through the motions.

But many of us do just that. Too often, it seems like life is just about getting up, fighting commuter traffic, spending 8 or more hours on the job, eating dinner and then going to bed.

One day fades into the next, month after month and year after year. And then the day finally comes when we look back at our lives and wonder what happened.

What’s the solution? As Christ-followers, the first thing to understand is that our time on this planet is limited. In fact, the world isn’t really our true home. We’re just passing through in this thing called life. And one day, God will call us home to his kingdom.

The mortality rate is 100%. Therefore, we must avoid living out our days with regrets about what could have been. The key is to live each day passionately. And one way to start is by living like you actually know the day and the hour of your passing. This will reveal your true priorities and spotlight the people, causes and activities that mean the most in your life. They are your passions.

But here are some disclaimers. Before pursuing any passion, be sure that it’s God-honoring. Also, what invigorates you must last into eternity. For example, Jesus’ passion was doing God’s will. Christ even went so far as to say that his words were his Father’s rather than his own. He also explained his actions by pointing out that he did only what he saw his Father doing:

“Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?” Jesus asked. “The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”

Discovering a life-passion is easy for some people but elusive for others. Ask God to reveal his will for you in this crucial area. And once he has, pursue it wholeheartedly in the time he’s given you. Then let that passion become contagious -- so much so that those who aren’t Christ-followers will ask what (or really Who) drives you.

Are you living a passionate life -- one that’s God-honoring and abundant? If not, don’t let could-haves become should-haves. 

Your someday is right now.