Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1333777
Passion, Discipline and Determinatio n Secrets to I gnite , D irect and M aintain T hat I nner F ire By Chaplain Joel Kordis /Tucson, AZ BSHDFC H ow do we navigate through all that is happening in the world today ? The United States is divided, Christianity around the world is under attack, and then there's the p andemic. Friends and family are sick while the rest of us are enduring online church services, constantly washing our hands, wearing uncomfortable masks and wondering if we dare to even leave the house. How do we stay focused on Jesus and ministry ? How do we keep Him at the forefront and weather the se storms of uncertainty ? First, we need to have p assion ! Our love for Jesus, our commitment, our desire to believe in and follow Him requires us to be unwaverin g, focused, strong, determined and disciplined. We can go to church, listen to sermons, read the bible and attend bible study groups , but are we walking the walk or merely talking the talk? In the book, " Not A F an " by Kyle Idleman, he talks about those w ho sit in the bleachers and cheer on the ir team while those who are fully engaged down on the field , playing the game, are fighting the good fight . Are you a fan or a player? Do you spend your days on the playing field or are you up in the bleachers? Do yo u have the passion to be in the game every day? Are you able to stay in the game day after day? Do you stay in the game despite all the hits you take? Do you have the necessary passion, discipline and determination to win the race ? Martha Graham (1894 - 199 1), was an American modern dancer and choreographer who reshaped American dance . She is quoted saying, " Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion." If you're in the bleachers , g et up and get down on the field and play hard! We can't just cheer on our team . We are the team! Our passion to play will ignite us and drive us to action! The more we do it the more it will become a habit. Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do… therefore excellence is not an act, but a habit." Passion is often defined as a strong love or desire for , or devotion to an activity, object or concept . Passion is a powerful emotion ! I sometimes call it that fire inside ! It's t hat burning desire that ignites you ! Let's take this explanation a step further and apply it to our faith . Let's say p assion is the point of ignition, a burning desire for Jesus, a devotion to follow Him, to believe in the WORD , to live by the gospel and the excitement to stand on a mountain top jumping up a nd down , screaming as loud as you can, "Jesus, I am all Yours!" ( Well, maybe not atop a mountain but you get the idea. ) We have got to g et fired up, ignite d like a rocket , launch ed by His power and thrust like never before ! We must c arry that passion wit h us every day, n ot just on Sunday ! We must m ake it the passion that powers our li ves in good times, bad times, challenging times, joyous times, disappointing times, elated times and times of sorrow. We must see Him constantly in our lives , every day, ever y moment. That's easy , right? Well, maybe. There are some things that can get in the way. Daily tasks, things you have to get done , outside commitments or demands , stress and other distractors that you can probably identify . We can be p assive and sit in t he bleachers or we can be proactive and get down on the field. The choice is ours. It's our free will that affects our personal choices, outlook or perception and our reaction to other s . Be proactive and choose to get up and off of the bench and go down on to the field of play . O nce we are down on the field , how do we get t he passion to stay in the game? While there may be many steps to getting that passion let's focus on two . The first is called " casting the vision. " One can only seize what they can see. P icture in your mind how it could be . Close your eyes and picture your relationship with Christ . See it in your mind, play it over and over like a movie, watching it again and again until you memorize every scene, every word. Remember, what you do over and over becomes a habit. Share the vision with others . This helps reinforce your vision, and by the way, can enlist and empower those around you to create and promote the same vision. By sharing with others, you d emonstrate your commitment to your beliefs an d faith. You can become a role model, show ing the way, lea d ing by example, encourag ing others and reward ing them for their successes regarding getting out on the field. And, the reward doesn't have to be a box of chocolate s , though I am a bit fond of milk chocolate. The real reward is the intrinsic reward, the one that touches the heart. It's the one that's sincere, the one that has meaning, the one that can spark another's passion and has a lifelong effect . It could simply be a sincere compliment or word s of encouragement. Just make sure they're from your heart and not your head. Cast that vision over and over and share it everywhere you go. In Zach Williams and Dolly Parton's song, There W as Jesus, it says, "Every morning, every moment, there was Jesus." See Him in everything you do. Keep the vision alive, every morning and every moment. The second step is to have fun. Enjoying what you are doing also creates passion. And, enjoying what you are doing is influenced by your attitude. There are three types of attitudes, bad, good and outstanding. Your attitude is all yours. You own it, you get to choose it . Do you say, "We have to go to church," or do you say, "I can't wait to go to church . " What about Jesus? Do you enjoy conversations about Him ? Do you see k opportunities to share your love for Him? Or do you avoid them by staying in the bleachers? One of my most passionate things to do is riding my motorcycle with my wife and service dog , Faith . Faith is a two - year - old Belgian Malinois who rides in a sidec ar . As soon as she gets her goggles (doggles) on she's ready to ride ! As you can imagine, this generates lots of conversations and picture taking. It's amusing to be stopped at a light and see people alongside and behind us taking pictures.