I wanted to start this post off with this Hillsong 2010 Vision video. It is powerful. When I watch it LOVE, PASSION, AUTHENTICITY and JOY just explode out of the screen and penetrate every part of my body.
Vision Sunday 2010 from Hillsong Church on Vimeo.
Passion is described as ‘any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate.’ With that said, you could say that a person’s passion directly correlates with how much they love/hate the stated object. Now keep in mind that passion can does not have to be solely an extroverted emotion to be powerful and real. On the contrary, I would assert that introverted passion, used as fuel in the right ways, can be just as powerful to the person filled with that passion. Anyway you look at it, expressions that result from passion can be contagious and be used to ignite radical changes in a persons stemming straight from the person’s core – and that is extremely dynamic.
The reason I make these claims is to say that passion is deeply woven into our affections – our fond attachments, devotions or even our love – and our affections determine our actions. As a follower of Christ I am called to both cultivate and fight for my affection for Christ. It is Christ who I love and choose to follow and thus all of my affection and passions must flow from that relationship.
At the beginning of the year, a roommate of mine introduced me to the teachings of Matt Chandler, the pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, Texas. I can’t believe I didn’t run across him before but in his walk with the Lord he makes sure that two things are being taken care of – 1) staying open/connected to the Father and 2) making sure that the things that stir his affection for Christ are being cultivated and the things that hinder that affection are being identified and dealt with.
Number 2 is HUGE. I have been looking through an extra lense lately and noticing that people who are cultivating those things that stir their affection for Christ are the ones that have a powerful relationship with the Lord. This cultivation, when continually applied, will turn your world upside down – guaranteed! When God-centered evaluation is a lifestyle you will always have THE true perspective. That is because we are no longer evaluating or cultivating ourselves but asking the Lord to do it. It is only then that our hearts will mirror His. And when that happens deep passion, authentic joy and true love radiate from our hearts and penetrate the lives around us. It is at that point, that eyes are opened to how glorious the love of Christ is and how it can overcome everything on this earth.
