We all have things that we are passionate about and would love to spend all of our time on. What’s yours and how did you discover it?

The question of passion is an interesting one to ponder. There are things that I really like – dark chocolate covered almonds, ribs on the bbq, jazz music – and there are things that I really like to do – biking along the Thames River, exploring downtowns of cities – but I wouldn’t want to categorize them as passions.

Many people I know would say that they are passionate about a certain hobby, they can lose themselves in it for hours at a time and this is good. Often times they use these hobbies to bless others – I love seeing this take place.

But when Madison asked me about what I am passionate about, I had little difficulty in bringing to mind what “floats my boat” as the saying goes.

Now, before I state this passion, I want to set it up as not trying to sound “holier than though”, or that I am trying to “give the right answer”, after all, I am a pastor by occupation so perhaps there is an expectation that I’ll give a certain answer to “look the part.”

I have been honing this passion for decades, maybe without even realizing it, and it is only in the past few years that I have truly been able to fully state that it is a passion. It is something that I believe I’ll engage in until the day I move on from this life into the next.

Interestingly, I can live out this passion as a key component of my job which makes it all the more meaningful for me – I get paid to do what I am passionate about; it may be difficult to get me to retire:)

So, what is it?

I am passionate about helping other people find what they are passionate about. Finding out what they were designed to do. Moving to a place of congruency in their lives so that their skills and interests and experience all align.

Does this sound strange? Even as I write it, I’m wondering if this is supposed to be the answer? And yet, I love it. How do I know this is a passion?

1) I have many conversations about it.

I had breakfast with someone this week, and guess what? I guided the conversation into a discussion about his job, what he likes about it, what is difficult, what God may be teaching him in all of it and where it could be leading him. In essence, moving into his area of passion. It was meaningful, for him and for me.

This week, I had my regular Wednesday morning gathering with 3 other guys. The discussion moved into a conversation about where God may be leading them, what passions he has put into them. The glass board in my office was full of diagrams, outlining how they could begin to envision what their future could look like as they embraced God’s design for their lives.

2) I like to read about it.

Call it strange, but instead of a novel, I gravitate to books on mentoring and guiding others in life. Books that help me to help others on their life journey. These books are about helping people build good foundations so that they can enter into their God-given passions.

3) I am told that I do it.

These comments have been made to me more frequently in the past few years. With people I speak with at our church, I am often finding out about them, what they enjoy, what skills they have, how their experiences have shaped them. And then, when I see an opportunity come up at our church or another place in London to serve or a new job that I believe would fit them, I am excited to present the opportunity. Interestingly, I now have people come to me asking who I might know who would fit into a specific volunteer area of service. I thought that everyone does this, however, what I’m learning is that this is a passion of mine that doesn’t necessarily connect with others.

4) I get excited when I see someone experience living in their area of passion

When I speak with someone who just loves what they are doing, I am excited for them. When I am able to help someone move into an area of gifting and passion, to watch from afar how this has given them a new sense of purpose, it makes my heart leap.

I love the scripture 1 Corinthians 12. “There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its parts make up one body.” I have seen too many people moving through life without any thought to how they have been designed. They take on responsibilities because it is the thing to do. But they are missing out on so much. God has designed us all in unique ways. Why would we not want to live into those areas of life that are uniquely made for us?

So, I will continue to be passionate about helping people find their passions. The question is – what are you passionate about?

For the kingdom.