Sense of Purpose
Passion - a strong and barely controllable emotion.
Purpose-the reason for which something is done or for which something exists.
I really wanted turkey and dressing for Christmas. I could imagine and even psyche myself into savoring the delightful homemade dressing, turkey, greens, sweet potato casserole, etc. It was that TIME of the year. It was tradition. BUT NOOOOOO, these people (my family) wanted to BBQ. Then to add insult to injury, they wanted me to prepare the potato salad and baked beans!! I wanted a turkey, and they wanted ribs and sausage. I even spent my money to get what they wanted. It was the right season. Everything that I wanted was in its proper place, but I couldn’t have it.
Ok let me spiritualize this!!! Have you ever desired something that was tradition? You felt like this was your time to get what you have been waiting for such a long time. You sacrificed the last time, because “maybe” it wasn’t your time. Now here lies the opportunity. Everything is lined up. You DESERVE this. You saw a glimpse and now you have a strong and barely controllable emotion, because it is right in front of you. You make plans to act on this PASSIONS You do everything else right!! Why can’t you have this one passion? You even convince yourself that God gave you this passion, so that you can fulfill it. Ok maybe not you, but it was definitely me. I took my intellectual self and made a fool-proof plan to fulfill this great desire/passion. God laughed and blocked it. He kept me even when I did not want to be kept.
I stayed up the one night, without the assistance of caffeine or an exciting agenda, and I spent my time looking at the Word of God. Not only did the plan change, I had to spend “my time” of rest to get an understanding of why. The Samaritan Woman understood me.
You see this Samaritan woman had come to the same place many times to draw from Jacob’s well (a religious place for the non- Jews). She knew she was there at the wrong time trying to do something she had no business doing. I am sure she came to this well (a religious place) and met plenty men in this place. She was smart. She knew how to converse so she did not seem desperate or intentional about her passion. I am sure, like me, she spent her time looking like she was doing something right at the right place. Yet, the whole time she desired a husband to do the work for her. She wasted her time in meaningless relationships as she continued to go this place to find her one and true love. See, Jesus saw her heart in THIS PLACE. He knew what her passion was. To Him it was obvious. She needed purpose. So He addressed her passion that she lingered in. In the mist of Him showing her who she really was, she acknowledged Him as “sir”, “prophet” and then told others about the “Messiah”. (John 4:1-30)
I share this with you for two reasons. One, God will fulfill his purpose regardless of your selfish desires that you have convinced YOURSELF THAT you truly deserve. Two, STOP!!!!!!! Stop seeking your passion and seek your purpose. Now, not everyone has seen their purpose, so this next part is for those who have seen their purpose and have allowed their temporary passion to shift their purpose. SNAP OUT OF IT!! You are needed to grow the Kingdom of God without temporary distractions. I truly believe if you work at seeking Him and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) then all these things will be added on to you!
I know it is hard, Jesus knows it is difficult. So if you didn’t get my message, here it is… choose Purpose over Passion. Passion can change depending on what is presented to you. Purpose is constant and consistent with the one who created you. I love you and so does God.
