I have a friend who was very passionate about business. He could sell anything and make you buy what you don’t even want to buy. After a few years, he became a full time missionary serving God’s purpose as he reaches out to the unreached people with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. My friend is now passionate about missions more than anything else.
Friend, I want to help you balance this idea of of passion and purpose today. While I believe, and I’ve even taught severally, that your passion is one of the indicators of your purpose, I want you to know that passion alone is not enough to determine your purpose. You can be passionate about where and what God is not sending you to.
A renowned man of God once told us that there was a time he was so passionate about a particular nation; he felt he needed to take the gospel to that region. To his surprise, God replied him, “Son, even though you are passionate about that nation, you are not the one I’m sending there.” That passion died in him immediately.
Your inability to properly interpret your passion can be the undoing of the pursuit of your God-given destiny. If you asked Paul (then Saul), he would tell you that ‘God’ wanted him to stop Christians from spreading a ‘fake’ religion. It was not until Jesus met him on the road to Damascus that he got a divine interpretation to his life’s pursuit (Acts 9:1-6). He found purpose and then poured his passion into it.
Rebecca took her ‘passion’ to God for clarification, rather than making the wrong conclusion (Genesis 25:22-23). She asked, “why is this happening to me?” What about you? Have you asked God why you are this passionate about politics? Are you sure you are meant to contest an election? Could it be that God wants you to raise people for him in that sphere, or start an NGO to hold politicians accountable? When a king maker decides to be the king, he would lose his relevance.
“This persuasion comes not of him that calls you” (Galatians 5:8). This is very instructive. You can be persuaded about what God is not calling you to do. This is why you must not only begin in the Spirit, you must also continue in the Spirit (Galatians 3:3). You must let God interpret your dealings to you. And when you find your purpose or calling, pour your passion into it. Let the zeal of your purpose consume you (John 2:13-17). You will succeed!
© ‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria