Passion Without Action Is Dead.

Hello Friends! How is your week going so far? So far, so good over here. It finally cooled down over the weekend [Saturday was actually in the 50’s!!] so the Michigander inside of me was rejoicing just a little bit. This week hasn’t been too hot either, which has been so nice – I really do miss Michigan fall quite a lot. Can’t wait for leaves to [finally] start changing colors around here!

In other news, I got my computer back last Friday! Yay! It was so strange not having it, but it looks even better now than it did before the LCD went out, so the repair shop did a mighty fine job. Very happy to have it back though so I can start writing more regularly again.

Anyways, I’ve been thinking a lot about my passions lately, and how I can utilize them better in my daily life. And how they correlate with my dreams, and the things I hope to achieve one day. And that got me thinking – how much time do I spend thinking about my passions and planning for my dreams without actually taking any action towards achieving them. The more I thought about it, the more I began to see that I think a lot more than I actually do. And while thinking is important [obviously] it really gets us nowhere if it’s not backed up by action. In other words, passion without action is dead.

Looking at my own life, I have seen this come about multiple times. Ultimately, my dream is to become an author. I want to use the words God has given me to bless others. He has given me a unique gift and a special passion to go along with it, and I want to utilize said gift to the best of my ability. But, becoming an author isn’t something that just happens overnight. Like anything worth achieving or having in life, it takes commitment, time, energy and some sacrifices along the way.

Starting this blog was one step towards using my passions and gifts to achieve my dreams. Finishing my book [which I will hopefully release as and e-book very soon] was another. Small, baby steps if you will towards achieving the ultimate goal. But, it can be discouraging when things don’t happen as quickly as you might like, or when they don’t work out exactly as planned. When you have to face obstacles, it’s easy to give up. When there are other things vying for your time, it’s easy to give up. I’ve gone through periods where I’ve doubted my dreams, thought they were too big to achieve, couldn’t possibly see myself reaching my goal. There have been times where I’ve tried to go after other, smaller goals – things that would be easier to achieve, in order to distract and distance myself from the one that seemed so unobtainable. And those were the times when that little flame of passion burning within me went out. Died. And all I would feel was empty, purposelessness.

But isn’t that how it works though? If you believe something to be unobtainable, often it becomes so. If you think it’s impossible for you, then it will be. Belief in yourself, the abilities God has given you, and the promises He has spoken over your life through the Word are key to overcoming your doubts and unbelief. Because only when you believe you can do it, will you be able to.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13

I can accomplish my goals and dreams using the passions and gifting’s God has given me, no matter how lofty they may seem, because of Christ who lives inside of, and strengthens me. Nothing will be impossible for me. Nothing will be impossible for you.

You can only hold on to your passions and dreams so long without ever using them. Eventually, that little flame burning within your soul will go out – not due to exhaustion, but to lack of use. Lack of fuel to keep the fire burning. And when that fire goes out, it can be very difficult to rekindle it – impossible, even. If you have a passion, don’t hesitate to pursue it with everything you’ve got. Back up your passion with action. Add fuel to the fire within you. You can think about it all you want – talk about it even – but until you start making real actions towards pursuing your passions, those passions will die over time. And you’ll be left always wondering what could have, would have or should have been if you’d done things differently. Don’t wonder or wish your way through life. Decide to go after your passions and dreams, and don’t look back – ever. Because even if things don’t work out exactly as you planned, you’ll still be happier because you gave it your best shot, instead of giving up before you even began. Don’t wait any longer. If there’s a window of opportunity, regardless of how intimidating or frightening it may be, don’t hesitate to go through it. Really, you have nothing to lose – only your dreams to gain.

What actions do you need to take today to utilize your passions and achieve your dreams?