One of the things I feel blessed to experience, as a writer/blogger is connection with others who are creative and courageous in these pursuits. I continually learn from them in many and varied ways. They are scattered across various parts of the country and world with a wide array of lived experiences and backgrounds. They encourage me, challenge me, and confront me with truth, new ideas, and different ways of looking at things. What a gift!
Some of these persons I have gotten to know a bit more personally through comments and emails while others are voices I respect, but whose lives I only know through their writing. As I sit at my desk in my den, I smile as I think of Lisa and Stephanie in Alabama, Ceil in Chicago, Susan and Debbie in North Carolina, Michele in Maine, Linda in Massachusetts, Lynn in Alberta, Canada, Ifeoma in Nigeria and others as well. Each stirs my thinking and often nudges me toward writing something.
Recently I posted a piece about perseverance and my friend, Lisa from Alabama responded in comments and made mention of a book that connected with the theme of my post. Her skill at being an excellent source for a good book resulted in me ordering it that very day. As I have been reading it, it has stimulated a great deal of thought and encouragement and is the foundation of the musings I am sharing in this reflection.
The book is Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth and although this post is not truly a book review, I will be referring to some of her points that stimulated my thoughts. Her topics are ones that have always held my interest as a teacher and counselor, mother and grandmother, but most of all just as a person. The topics addressed intersect and impact how I view the Christian life as well.
If you were talking with my husband, he might very well point out to you that I am passionate about nearly everything, chuckling as he said it. I could be tempted to disagree with that statement, but if I am honest with you and myself I think there is some truth in it. I would have simply said that I care deeply about things. That’s true, but the book’s author gives a better definition:
“Passion is not just something you care about. What I mean is that you care about that same ultimate goal in an abiding, loyal steady way. You are not capricious. Each day you wake up thinking of the questions you fell asleep thinking about. You are, in a sense, pointing in the same direction, ever eager to take even the smallest step toward some other destination.”
Clearly, life does not allow any of us to pursue a long list of passions, but oftentimes our list reveals an overarching goal expressed in different ways if we take time for closer scrutiny. Additionally, we grow and develop it over time, gradually potentially gaining more expertise whether it is in laying bricks, teaching, practicing medicine, working in sales or anything else. But it isn’t just about more time; it is crucial that deliberate practice is involved. (The author can help you understand a lot more about that. She also can help you look at how to grow more grit!) Not everyone is passionate or perseverant and certainly not to the same degree.
The important question I was provoked to consider was what level of passion was connected to my spiritual walk. Did I simply feel passionate about it or did I pursue development of it to participate with the Lord in my sanctification? In other words, my words, actions, attitudes, and pursuits would need to be congruent.
What would growth in spiritual passion look like?
It would mean that I would not just attend church and enjoy what I hear, but that I would attend to the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart through worship, the message, and even interactions with others in the service. It would mean that I would long to spend time with the Lord getting to develop a more intimate relationship with Him. I would not only read in His Word, but I would desire to learn how to read it better, learn more, and understand more by purposeful study habits. I would not only spend time talking with the Lord in prayer, but I would also spend time waiting and listening for His nudges and whispers to my heart. My heart would be other-focused in healthy ways more than self-focused. It would mean I would face my weaknesses in any of these areas as well as my sin without fear of rejection or shame and seek the Lord to diligently change them with His help instead of choosing self-rejection, denial, or ignoring their reality.
I felt good as I reflected that I had accepted an invitation from my daughter to attend a Simeon’s Trust workshop that taught me excellent tools to learn to unpack scripture without always leaning on a commentary this past fall. That was a step in the right direction and I look forward to another one to gain more practice and learn how to utilize the tools with different genres of the Bible.
The longer I considered where my passion level was regarding the Lord, the more I recognized the growth I have experienced. It was also clear to me that there definitely needs to be a strong intersection between my passion and perseverance for positive growth to occur. I saw more ways to expand that quality in my spiritual life as well, even though this was not a spiritual book.
Most importantly, I also realized that I needed to be more deliberate in my practicing of these very things and more, not out of some legalistic sense of duty but because I want to get to know more and more about the One I will spend eternity with.
Be honest and not condemning. How are you doing with your passionate persevering pursuit of Christ?
I love the quote on the last picture – there are many things that will catch the eye, but only a few that will catch your heart! WOW that is a power packed nugget right there! I love it, especially since if you ask my husband, or children they would say I too am very passionate about a lot of things. LOL Thank you for this post and this reminder to passionate pursue Christ as the most important thing.
Thank you for linking up with #TuneInThursday today! I am so blessed to have you linking your posts as part of the community each Thursday.
Thanks for your ever joy-filled encouraging comments! You bless me!!
Pam- great post! I do want to grow in spiritual passion. I think I am always able to grow more through learning new techniques from others. I don’t ever want to plateau or grow stagnant.
#GraceMoments
Thanks, Julie! Me too!!!
This is a really interesting read! Am challenged to also think about how my passions are perceived – if you ask my kids, what would they say are my passions? Visiting from Women with Intention 🙂
Well, thanks for the shout out, friend. I consider you a wise mentor and am grateful that God has brought our paths to cross in this season.
And the comment you left on my post yesterday? Well let’s just say that it was the answer I’ve been seeking on how best to navigate this blogging world while things are shifting and changing ’round these parts.
Thanks for truth. Grace. I see a blog post emerging because of you!
;-}
Absolutely, my friend! So glad the comment on the post was right on time for you! I love it when God does that!!! Have a blessed weekend!
Thank you Pam for attending the #WednesdayAIMLinkParty. I shared your post on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Hi Pam! Thank you for including me in your list of bloggers, I am so honored. You know I feel the same way about you, your writing often makes me think, and challenges me too.
I like your description of passion here. We often toss that term around, saying we have a passion for this or that…but is it really? Do I get out of bed thinking about chocolate? (Hard to believe, but I don’t!) But I know Jesus is always on my mind, and so is writing, so I think I can be very truthful in saying that these are my passions. Which is awesome ❤️.
Have a wonderful Wednesday,
Ceil
I’m honored to know YOU, my friend! I hear you about chocolate or cashews or popcorn or …. Have a blessed day!
Pam, I love that we’ve become cyberspace friends and encouragers. I appreciate the links and info you send me. I think it is easy to get excited about many things and that excitement can distract me from my true love and passion to know Jesus. Thanks for these great thoughts.
I love it too, Deb! Great to hear from you (as always)!
Thank you for the mention! I am honored to be listed. Passion. I am passionate about truth. I am passionate to be an instrument of information becoming revelation. I am passionate about worship. It is the driving force in my pen. Love you, Pam, and maybe one day? We can share a cuppa and our passion!
Easy to think of you as I was writing! I hear and see those passions in what you write and share on FB about your life and family as well! I would love to share a cuppa with you one day! Hope we can make that happen!
I love the last quote. If we truly listen and spend time with God he will point us to Him and how to get there. There are times in my life that I am very passionate about many things too but find that if I allow God to lead me, I will find the most direct path.
I was taken in when I started reading this today because you talk about perseverance. I just started a series on perseverance and know that to remain steadfast in anything takes faith in God that He will get us there.
Thanks, Mary! It’s great to hear from another passionate person! I love the subject of perseverance. I wrote a post about perseverance on April 5 as well! I will look forward to seeing your posts on the subject.
What a thought provoking post! It is so easy to be passionate about many things in life… and what a shame if they are all primarily earthly/temporary. I like that you remind we need to be deliberate in what we are passionate about as we go through life. Nothing wrong with being passionate about so many things… that can be part of how God made us! 🙂 We just don’t want to be so passionate about other things that we crowd God out of our lives. What a blessing to walk w/ the Lord as we walk through these earthly lives w/ their joys and challenges. Thank you for your post. 🙂
Thanks so much for this gracious encouraging comments! Blessings on your day and week ahead!