Most people think commitment is a consequence of passion. But it’s the other way around. Passion is a product of commitment. If your life is without passion, make a commitment. – Roy H. Williams
The Secret to Finding Passion
I have a knack for being good at whatever comes my way (not necessarily great – just good). I was a good baseball player (played catcher) I was a good actor (did a musical Off-Broadway) I was good at radio (worked at some great stations in the midwest and south) I am a good Voiceactor (did some work for KFC TV and Billy Graham – is it weird to mention those both in the same sentence?).
I usually ‘roll with the tide’… I try to make the best of whatever I stumble into. I ride the wave, and let it take me where it will.
But that isn’t the path to a passionate life.
I have always wanted to be on fire for something.. for my purpose, my destiny, to change the world! And recently, I realized that letting life happen to me won’t get me any closer to my passion.
I have to happen to life.
What is the Secret?
There’s a story in the Bible that might shed some light on this.
It’s about a prophet – Elijah – he speaks to people for God. God tells him that he is about to take the ‘Flaming Chariot Home to Heaven’ (literally) – so he needs to name his successor.
God says, “Elijah, name Elisha to pick up where you leave off. His name is similar to yours so he is a good choice.” (He may or may not have said that last part)
So, Elijah finds Elisha plowing his fields and says to him, “Yo! Follow me – you’re going to be my successor as a prophet for God.”
Elisha says,”Well, let me go say goodbye to Mom and Dad – and then we’ll be on our way.”
But before they go – he does something very interesting…check this out:
So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant. 1 Kings 19:21
Elisha takes his cows, filets them, and makes a full on Bar-B-Q out of the wooden yokes that held them in line. Then he passes out the freshly cooked burgers and steaks.
The Point is this: He burned up his livelihood. He ginsu’d his oxen. He couldn’t go back to being a farmer. He HAD to make the commitment to go forward and follow Elijah.
There was NO turning back. Whatever happened in the future? He couldn’t GO BACK to what he was doing before. He had to passionately commit to the new thing.
And that my friends, is the secret to finding your passion.
COMMITMENT
I have waited for my passion to smack me between the eyes. But it doesn’t work that way.
I haven’t really committed to make anything happen. Since I naturally was just ‘good’ at stuff, I just let stuff happen.
I never said – ‘Hey I am going to commit to being great at something’.
Passion is Born of Commitment
If I let events in life just ‘happen’ to me, I will never be passionate.
I have to make a decision to commit.
I have to move forward to what I believe I am called to do – and where I am being led.
I have to give up the old stuff, and get on with the new.
Thanks for the ramble. Now, How Do I Apply This to Marriage?
It’s like this:
If you’re letting your marriage just ‘happen’ – you won’t be have a passionate marriage. You have to be passionately committed to have a great marriage.
That is the only way passion can flow.
Period.
