The importance of story!

Here is a great talk by Don Miller on the power and importance of story in our lives.

http://vimeo.com/10161522

What is your passion?

Over the last few weeks, I've found myself having a few conversations around the area of 'passion'. Most people I have spoken to have expressed a concern that they either don't have a passion or don't see themselves as passionate people. This is something I used to think of myself too, until I looked at what the word 'passion' actually meant;

Passion: from the Latin verb patior, meaning to suffer or to endure.

I always thought that unless you were a person who was always clenching their fist and shouting 'Come on!' (think Tim Henman), you weren't a passionate person or weren't passionate about what you did. Now those actions can be responses to a passion, but they are not what defines the passion.

When we look at this definition, we see that passion is rooted in suffering and the willingness to endure it.

To be passionate is to be willing to endure suffering and to have a passion for something or someone is to endure that suffering for the sake of it.

We all have things in our life that we are willing to spend most of our time, money and energy on, whether that be our families, our football team or cooking for people. We are willing to endure the suffering of going that extra mile in order to persue that activity or person because we are passionate about it.

If you are someone who struggles to find their passion in life, then it's often helpful to ask someone else, as they will be able to see what you are willing to suffer for (as often they don't see the point in it!).

We are all passionate about something!

As we near Easter, we are reminded that Jesus was willing to endure suffering for us and that He calls us to do the same for those around us. Indeed, the word 'compassion' means 'shared suffering' and as we look out to a world that is suffering, we are called to be there with them in that place, in order that we may bring the hope of the Resurrection that followed.

So, what are you passions? What and who are you willing to suffer for? Are you willing to suffer on behalf of others?

Ask God to reveal His passion for you and for the world around you!