I have always loved writing. When I was little, every time I was in trouble, I would write out apologies, or if I was upset about something, I expressed it on paper. I started journaling in elementary school. I loved writing essays in high school, and still love writing papers. You heard me – love. I see it as an adventure to be had, with thoughts and words. I almost have an entire shelf of journals, all filled with my prayers. Writing is what makes me come to life.
Tragically though, I rarely ever make time to write. I tell myself I can’t squeeze it in, or that I should do something more productive, like work, or study or spend time with friends, because all of those other things are more practical. I can see the profitable outcome, so clearly they must be more worthwhile… right? Writing doesn’t help me advance, doesn’t help me go anywhere – it’s really just the thing that makes me vibrant, and fills me with joy, and that I’m passionate about, and that, deep down, I know I was put on this earth to do. Maybe not practical. No - more - absolutely indispensable.
My hope is that you understand what I’m talking about, that my words resonate with you. What’s that thing in your life you do, that wakes you up within, that brings a spark to your eyes when you talk about it, and a smile to your face when you think about it? What’s the action, the activity, that makes you radiant?
Do you dare to do it?
Do you make time for it?
Do you even know what it is yet?
This matters. It does; it’s important. Why? This thing you’re wired for, that brings you joy, excitement, life – that’s just it – it brings you life. So if we’re not doing these things that make our souls sing and our spirits illuminate – something in us is dying. What could be light, is dark; what could be growth, is decay; what could be love, is loss. And it kills us – whether we see it and admit it or not.
There’s a deeper layer to this life-threatening procrastination, as to the reason why we let it happen... Maybe I’ll just speak for myself here, even though I know it’s not just me. I’m living scared. I don’t write because I’m tormented at even the thought of rejection, or that someone will see nothing in what I've poured part of my soul into. Because when they reject, or pass-by, or label worthless that thing that I do, those words that I write, they reject, or pass-by, or label worthless – me.
I’m afraid. I think we all are.
So we live in this catch, where we fail to actually do what we love, because we’re scared we’ll fail. In case you missed my intentional word play there, let me dwindle it down - we fail, because we're afraid to fail. When we do this, we’re already failing!
Does that make anyone else uncomfortable?
Or maybe even sad…. Because we see it in ourselves.
We were not made to live scared.
We were made to live vibrantly and passionately. It’s at our fingertips, it’s within us!
We just need to have the courage, the audacity, to enter into it.
So whatever your passion is, whether it’s dancing, running, cooking, sculpting, painting, carving, teaching, climbing, singing, filming, dreaming, strumming, speaking, drawing, flying – you name it – it’s yours. Do it. You need to make time for your passion, your call. You need to carry out the action that was made with you in mind, from the foundation of the world. Be not afraid, of folly, or failure, or to be thought foolish. There are worse things – like never really living at all.
And in the midst of the struggle to carry this out, in the temptation to recoil and give into lies or to fear – remember – remember, that there is One who always finds worth in us. And this is for Him. The One who always finds our worth because He gave it to us, because He poured it into our hearts. And for Him, and in Him, and through Him, we need to carry out the deeds that make us more ourselves, our passions. In doing so, we share in His passion, the love He has for each and every one of us. We participate in the way He makes all things bright and beautiful, as we pour out the beauty that we are, that He has given us, upon the canvas of this earth, upon the hearts of men.
Happy New Year everyone, and I pray that in this new chapter of 2015 – you find the courage to chase after that which makes you radiant, to live your passion.
Tragically though, I rarely ever make time to write. I tell myself I can’t squeeze it in, or that I should do something more productive, like work, or study or spend time with friends, because all of those other things are more practical. I can see the profitable outcome, so clearly they must be more worthwhile… right? Writing doesn’t help me advance, doesn’t help me go anywhere – it’s really just the thing that makes me vibrant, and fills me with joy, and that I’m passionate about, and that, deep down, I know I was put on this earth to do. Maybe not practical. No - more - absolutely indispensable.
My hope is that you understand what I’m talking about, that my words resonate with you. What’s that thing in your life you do, that wakes you up within, that brings a spark to your eyes when you talk about it, and a smile to your face when you think about it? What’s the action, the activity, that makes you radiant?
Do you dare to do it?
Do you make time for it?
Do you even know what it is yet?
This matters. It does; it’s important. Why? This thing you’re wired for, that brings you joy, excitement, life – that’s just it – it brings you life. So if we’re not doing these things that make our souls sing and our spirits illuminate – something in us is dying. What could be light, is dark; what could be growth, is decay; what could be love, is loss. And it kills us – whether we see it and admit it or not.
There’s a deeper layer to this life-threatening procrastination, as to the reason why we let it happen... Maybe I’ll just speak for myself here, even though I know it’s not just me. I’m living scared. I don’t write because I’m tormented at even the thought of rejection, or that someone will see nothing in what I've poured part of my soul into. Because when they reject, or pass-by, or label worthless that thing that I do, those words that I write, they reject, or pass-by, or label worthless – me.
I’m afraid. I think we all are.
So we live in this catch, where we fail to actually do what we love, because we’re scared we’ll fail. In case you missed my intentional word play there, let me dwindle it down - we fail, because we're afraid to fail. When we do this, we’re already failing!
Does that make anyone else uncomfortable?
Or maybe even sad…. Because we see it in ourselves.
We were not made to live scared.
We were made to live vibrantly and passionately. It’s at our fingertips, it’s within us!
We just need to have the courage, the audacity, to enter into it.
So whatever your passion is, whether it’s dancing, running, cooking, sculpting, painting, carving, teaching, climbing, singing, filming, dreaming, strumming, speaking, drawing, flying – you name it – it’s yours. Do it. You need to make time for your passion, your call. You need to carry out the action that was made with you in mind, from the foundation of the world. Be not afraid, of folly, or failure, or to be thought foolish. There are worse things – like never really living at all.
And in the midst of the struggle to carry this out, in the temptation to recoil and give into lies or to fear – remember – remember, that there is One who always finds worth in us. And this is for Him. The One who always finds our worth because He gave it to us, because He poured it into our hearts. And for Him, and in Him, and through Him, we need to carry out the deeds that make us more ourselves, our passions. In doing so, we share in His passion, the love He has for each and every one of us. We participate in the way He makes all things bright and beautiful, as we pour out the beauty that we are, that He has given us, upon the canvas of this earth, upon the hearts of men.
Happy New Year everyone, and I pray that in this new chapter of 2015 – you find the courage to chase after that which makes you radiant, to live your passion.