Do you have Passion?

I know I have been a long time coming on this post. It seems like February has been a very long month somehow. We've had a lot going on at our house and with the church and time has been in short supply.

I don't have much to share today but I saw a quote in an article by John Maxwell that I really liked. John Maxwell is a leadership expert. His writings can be used in both the business world and the spiritual, church-building world. He quotes the former COO (chief operating officer) of the Ritz Carlton hotel who said,

You are nothing unless it comes from your heart. Passion, caring, really looking to create excellence. If you perform functions only and go to work only to do processes, then you are effectively retired. And it scares me - most people I see, by age 28, are retired... If you go to work only to fulfill the processes and functions then you are a machine. You have to bring passion, commitment and caring - then you are a human being.

The article, which you can find in full text here has much more to do with success in business but I think we can apply this idea of passion to everyting we do in life. Do you have passion for what you do at work? Do you have passion for the role you play at church? Do you have passion for being a parent? Where you volunteer? Scriptures say,

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:22-24

I've been guilty of slogging through the motions at work, at home, at church, in my marriage, in my friendships, in my parenting...almost everywhere. But I've also had times when I've burned with passion over projects I worked on or services I led worship in. I think the Lord of the harvest wants us to burn for Him. To be filled with passion.

Sometimes we get to a point where the passion is gone. That is when it is easiest to "retire" as the article says. I pray you don't retire. I pray that you seek God and ask Him to fill your life with passion again. Maybe He'll refuel your weary soul. Maybe He'll show you a way to a new job or volunteer position that fires up your soul again. Be on fire for the Lord! Be filled with passion!