Several months ago, I was watching a video of a friend of mine from my Intervarsity days speaking at the Urbana conference. He spoke on the prodigal son story and it was a very powerful message that he gave. I love when I re-read or see a talk on something I may have known like the back of my hand and gather some new morsel I was unaware of. I found out some information about Sriram that I didn't know before regarding his background. But, the main thing I took from his talk was how dynamic and passionate he was. He kept my attention throughout the talk and you could feel his passion radiate even through the computer screen. This just wasn't words to him, this was vitally important. This was a message as important as life and death. Maybe, because it was.
We, as people, can easily ferret out when someone doesn't believe what they say. They are insincere and their energy level may not equate with the message they are giving. But, if the person really believes the message they are giving with all their heart and they display it with every ounce of their being - that's a message worth listening to. Granted, you still have to determine if it is a message you agree with though.
The whole thing got me thinking and remembering. I went back to when I first came to believe in God, or when I joined Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in college, or when I started dating my wife. There was a ton of excitement, an overflow of energy, thoughts I could not restrain from my mind. I was filled with a sense of wondering, a longing for more, a deep abiding passion to grow and move forward. Things have changed. Times have changed. Or, more appropriately, I have changed.
I let life happen and I let complacency set in. God didn't change nor did His plans for me. Maybe I am comfortable with the way things are. God, however, has so much more for me and for you. It is still as exciting as the first day.
How do we rekindle our passion? How do we recapture the excitement we used to have? How do we recharge our batteries? We need to go back to what first excited us.
I think back to when I first started dating my wife. What were the things that excited me (other than a woman actually going on a date with me). How could we maintain that? One of the things I realized is that I needed to pursue my wife like I did from day one. In this way, I would not get complacent or take my wife for granted. She is extremely precious to me and I love her very much, but at times I don't show it. As Billy Joel wrote in Just the Way you Are "you always have my unspoken passion, although I might not seem to care". No offense to Billy, cause I love the song, but my passion cant remain unspoken nor should I appear uncaring.
Remember the first time you dated someone? What you did and how you acted? You didn't know him or her well, so what did you do? That's what I mean to going back to the beginning - those actions and thoughts.
When I first started dating Susan, I listened (after the first date). I got to know her likes and dislikes, her dreams and desires, her fears and heartaches. I gave her my full attention, making her feel that she is the most important thing to me (she is, but I don't sometimes show it). I placed her needs first, did some of the things she enjoyed even if I wasn't a fan of it. After five years of marriage, I made a point that I would continue pursuing and loving her until my dying breath. My love and passion for her grows with each passing day. Granted, I am better some days than others. If you pursue, if you listen, you will place him/her first in your life and all that goes with it, you will learn new things about them, and you'll be willing to try new experiences.
The same principles work in renewing our passions for the Lord. I started to pray more, or more appropriately started listening more to God. Hearing His thoughts and desires for my life. I am reading more scriptures. I am not that great, but I am trying to do more. What better way to get to know God, but by reading the stories in the bible. Trust me, there is a lot there and you constantly learn. It is a growing process and its also an exciting process.
Then, there is placing God first. This isn't always easy and the world and the enemy try their best to disrupt it. That's where I was, I was becoming less excited and less passionate. God never changed, only my attitude did. It isn't always easy, but trust that God will help you to become closer and He will. You'll regain your passion and excitement, I know I have. It's made me excited for things I never thought I would be, like going to India on a missions trip. Recharging your passion leads to interesting things.
We, as people, can easily ferret out when someone doesn't believe what they say. They are insincere and their energy level may not equate with the message they are giving. But, if the person really believes the message they are giving with all their heart and they display it with every ounce of their being - that's a message worth listening to. Granted, you still have to determine if it is a message you agree with though.
The whole thing got me thinking and remembering. I went back to when I first came to believe in God, or when I joined Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in college, or when I started dating my wife. There was a ton of excitement, an overflow of energy, thoughts I could not restrain from my mind. I was filled with a sense of wondering, a longing for more, a deep abiding passion to grow and move forward. Things have changed. Times have changed. Or, more appropriately, I have changed.
I let life happen and I let complacency set in. God didn't change nor did His plans for me. Maybe I am comfortable with the way things are. God, however, has so much more for me and for you. It is still as exciting as the first day.
How do we rekindle our passion? How do we recapture the excitement we used to have? How do we recharge our batteries? We need to go back to what first excited us.
I think back to when I first started dating my wife. What were the things that excited me (other than a woman actually going on a date with me). How could we maintain that? One of the things I realized is that I needed to pursue my wife like I did from day one. In this way, I would not get complacent or take my wife for granted. She is extremely precious to me and I love her very much, but at times I don't show it. As Billy Joel wrote in Just the Way you Are "you always have my unspoken passion, although I might not seem to care". No offense to Billy, cause I love the song, but my passion cant remain unspoken nor should I appear uncaring.
Remember the first time you dated someone? What you did and how you acted? You didn't know him or her well, so what did you do? That's what I mean to going back to the beginning - those actions and thoughts.
When I first started dating Susan, I listened (after the first date). I got to know her likes and dislikes, her dreams and desires, her fears and heartaches. I gave her my full attention, making her feel that she is the most important thing to me (she is, but I don't sometimes show it). I placed her needs first, did some of the things she enjoyed even if I wasn't a fan of it. After five years of marriage, I made a point that I would continue pursuing and loving her until my dying breath. My love and passion for her grows with each passing day. Granted, I am better some days than others. If you pursue, if you listen, you will place him/her first in your life and all that goes with it, you will learn new things about them, and you'll be willing to try new experiences.
The same principles work in renewing our passions for the Lord. I started to pray more, or more appropriately started listening more to God. Hearing His thoughts and desires for my life. I am reading more scriptures. I am not that great, but I am trying to do more. What better way to get to know God, but by reading the stories in the bible. Trust me, there is a lot there and you constantly learn. It is a growing process and its also an exciting process.
Then, there is placing God first. This isn't always easy and the world and the enemy try their best to disrupt it. That's where I was, I was becoming less excited and less passionate. God never changed, only my attitude did. It isn't always easy, but trust that God will help you to become closer and He will. You'll regain your passion and excitement, I know I have. It's made me excited for things I never thought I would be, like going to India on a missions trip. Recharging your passion leads to interesting things.
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