Passion, purpose and praise!

I have often been told that I am a passionate person or that others appreciate the passion I have for life. I love the word passion. Many people with a worldly view relate this word strictly to sex or sexual acts. Recently during a deep prayer time the word 'passion' kept coming to my heart and mind. I couldn't release it so I researched it. I thought for sure it had a far deeper meaning than merely something sexual.

The word passion comes from the Latin word passio – meaning an act of suffering. More detailed than that, the word came about specifically to describe the time that Jesus Christ suffered between the night of the Last Supper until his death on the cross. The very word, passion, ceased to exist in its fullest meaning before this time period. (Ever wonder why the blockbuster hit was titled, "The Passion of the Christ"? Now you know!) This time period is the foundation for which we have a thing called passion and the gauge to which all acts of true passion should be measured.

Jesus, in His last days, used His mind, heart, body and soul. During this time period when He suffered, He felt great passion and purpose for what He was called to do. Naturally, He was not 'making love' but yet…was He not displaying the most unbelievable act of love ever committed? He suffered much. He anguished much. He enjoyed much, felt much, cared much and all to an extreme intensity and with every part of who He was - mind, heart, body and soul. If you enter into any relationship with the frame of mind and spirit that Jesus had, then you can indeed enter into it with true passion. You can be a recipient and a participant in real God-given, Christ-like passion by embracing life with the same kind of God-breathed passion and purpose.

If you state that someone has lived a passionate life, then in order for that to be true, by the very definition of the word Passion, that life must have been lived as Jesus lived His life; loved as He loved; cared as He cared; believed as He believed and lived accordingly. No, you don't have to be perfect to live with passion! But to live a passionate existence means that you must be prepared to encounter some things similar to that which Jesus encounter in His last days. There are many Christians who ask the question, "Why me?" when they experience trials and difficulties in life. Why you? First off, why not you? And secondly, because if you dare to live a life of passion then you must expect, at the very least, times of deep pain, hurt, emotional upheaval, persecution, physical traumas and times of feeling alone and lonely. Again, remember that the definition of passion exists because of Christ and His last days before his crucifixion.

Also remember that there IS purpose in the passion, just as there was for Christ. You CAN live a life of passion, just as Christ did, but you will never suffer more than Jesus Christ has on your behalf! You were never meant to suffer more than He…though some lament as if they have. I have had many difficult, painful and lonely times in life and am certain there are more to come but if what I have to go through allows me to live a life of passion verses not living a life of passion, then I will endure it! A life without passion will not yield much for the Lord. A life without passion will not likely bring others to Christ. A life lived without passion is rarely a life lived to its' fullest potential and purpose. A marriage without passion will eventually lose its' way and possibly lead to dissolution. A love for the Lord without passion involved is surely an insult to Him. Praising Him without passion is not truly praise. For without the passion, the very thing He brought into this world, we would cease to be free. We would not be saved. The very least we owe to our Father is to dissolve the worldly idea of how we see passion and replace it with the true meaning He gave us through the very life and death His son endured for us!

I encourage you to live a life of passion, which IS indeed living a life of purpose. And with a life such as that, you will hopefully turn all your praise to God for every deep, loving, blessed, momentous, love-filled, laughter-injected, truth bearing, sweet and memorable moment.

~ Karen

Please LIKE A Woman Inspired on Face Book!

Feb. 14th Posting from the heart...

It's been quite some time since I've added any type of post to this blog but today I've dedicated myself to opening up more, taking time share as the Lord puts things on my heart and I am reminded that living is not just an experience for myself, but one to be shared. So frequently as I'm led...I will be putting up a "Heart Post" containing some words, thoughts, scripture, humor and hopefully a bit of wisdom.

Today's Heart Post:
Once in awhile we are blessed with unexpected joy; Unexpected reasons to smile...when we thought it would be a long time before we could smile again. Accept those times. Accept those gifts...without waiting for the other shoe to drop and without running ahead to see if you can manipulate that moment to make it last longer. Some things were made to bless us eternally, perpetually. Other things were designed to be seasons or small moments of blessings. They are all blessings nonetheless. When you are tempted to hold on too long to what is temporary, hold on instead to God and let go of all else...basking in the fact that you were indeed blessed.