Comments on: the purpose behind your passion http://www.rockworship.com/ministry-philosophy/the-purpose-behind-your-passion/ Creating music to lead people into God's presence. Music Ministry Production, Performance, Gear, and Theology Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:05:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Buy tramadol http://www.rockworship.com/ministry-philosophy/the-purpose-behind-your-passion/comment-page-1/#comment-789 Buy tramadol Sun, 10 Dec 2006 04:43:43 +0000 http://www.rockworship.com/announcments/the-purpose-behind-your-passion/#comment-789 <p><strong>Buy tramadol...</strong></p> <p>cheap tramadol, buy tramadol, tramadol, cheapest tramadol, 50 mg tramadol...</p> Buy tramadol…

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]]> By: Doug Watkins http://www.rockworship.com/ministry-philosophy/the-purpose-behind-your-passion/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Doug Watkins Wed, 15 Mar 2006 14:01:07 +0000 http://www.rockworship.com/announcments/the-purpose-behind-your-passion/#comment-113 <p>Ben, it sounds like you are confident you are serving where and how God wants you to be, but at the same time, unsettled that that passion part of it feels differently than it used to. Of course, without knowing you or your situation, I could be way off, but I sense a maturation, not a failing, of your passion -- away from "the fun of it" towards "the serving part."</p> <p>What you say about having a purpose behind your passion is key. Although, I think for us its not so much having a purpose versus not, but instead, having a purpose that is outward -- letting God use me to build his kingdom, versus inward -- just for me to have fun. Someone told a story once about building on a foundation of rock versus building on sand...</p> <p>God certainly uses the enjoyment we derive from something to motivate us and help us discover our gifts. However, life is not easy, and the more we are dedicated to God's work, the steeper the challenges seem to be. Sometimes simply the stress of school, jobs, family, relationships and such wears on the desire to pursue the fun side of things. This is one reason why it is important have a passion based on a solid foundation.</p> <p>Using our skills and gifts for God, and the fun we can have in that, itself is an act of worship and also shows others God's grace and goodness toward us and, in turn, towards them. I don't think God wants us to stay in a spot where it is difficult to find enjoyment in who he made us to be.</p> <p>Finally, this reminds me of Solomon writing in Ecclesiastes about finding satisfaction in a job well done rather than in pursuing pleasure -- just one such excerpt:</p> <p>"A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."</p> Ben, it sounds like you are confident you are serving where and how God wants you to be, but at the same time, unsettled that that passion part of it feels differently than it used to. Of course, without knowing you or your situation, I could be way off, but I sense a maturation, not a failing, of your passion — away from “the fun of it” towards “the serving part.”

What you say about having a purpose behind your passion is key. Although, I think for us its not so much having a purpose versus not, but instead, having a purpose that is outward — letting God use me to build his kingdom, versus inward — just for me to have fun. Someone told a story once about building on a foundation of rock versus building on sand…

God certainly uses the enjoyment we derive from something to motivate us and help us discover our gifts. However, life is not easy, and the more we are dedicated to God’s work, the steeper the challenges seem to be. Sometimes simply the stress of school, jobs, family, relationships and such wears on the desire to pursue the fun side of things. This is one reason why it is important have a passion based on a solid foundation.

Using our skills and gifts for God, and the fun we can have in that, itself is an act of worship and also shows others God’s grace and goodness toward us and, in turn, towards them. I don’t think God wants us to stay in a spot where it is difficult to find enjoyment in who he made us to be.

Finally, this reminds me of Solomon writing in Ecclesiastes about finding satisfaction in a job well done rather than in pursuing pleasure — just one such excerpt:

“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

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