Driven/Purpose

One of the things that I struggle with is being "task" oriented, "analytical", and that can sometimes be perceived as being negative.  I can honestly say that Christ has given me a truly tender heart, yet it is guarded closely.  I do not like to be idle, not having purpose, goals, something I am moving towards, bothers me tremendously.  I can relate to Sir Edmond Hilary when he was asked why he climbed Mount Everest and Hilary responded with "Because it was there".  Often times, it is easy to be caught up in the drudgery of day to day living.  It becomes routine, almost auto-pilot.  Yet scripture reminds us that we must be careful to avoid this state of idleness.  

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 ESV)

We must strive, push, endeavor towards purpose, not towards idelness or merely being busy for the sake of being busy.  Whatever we are working towards must have purpose.  I have found in my own life, that purpose and passion run hand in hand with each other.  Whatever I am passionate about, becomes the center of what my purpose is.  If my heart is not in it, I cannot bring myself to pursue it.  This is how God designed us to operate, to be passionate people, with strong desires, and when well applied it makes for an inexpliably powerful combination...and when misapplied, it becomes the ruin of us, causing us to seek other things above God (sin, specifically Idolatry in this instance).  The thing that we must look at in our lives is if our purpose and our passion are in alignment with each other, for if they are not, then we are not in alignment.  There is only one side that is acceptable to God.  We are either aligned with His will, or we are aligned against it.  

In closing, our passion mus become our purpose, and our passion must be for the will of God.  That's an easy thing to say, and much more difficult to do.  Through Christ alone, all things are possible.  

I pray that your passion would be for Christ and His will and that you would pursue your passion with purpose.  

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9, 10 ESV)

Amen!