8 Questions to Help You Decide if Your Passions are Worth Your Time

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Have you ever wondered if the passions you’re pursuing are a worthy investment of your time?  Join me as I dissect this topic and show you the 8 Questions to Help You Decide if Your Passions are Worth Your Time.

8 Questions about your passions

Journal entry from my “Whatever Happens, Happens” journal on November 2, 2014

Career Advice from a Tentmaker (Acts 18:3)

I’ve just finished prayer and a Bible study in Galatians 3-4 which led me to an exciting—and quite revealing—discovery.  After praying for clarity and direction concerning mine and Melissa’s (my wife) careers and where God wants us to be financially, I opened my eyes and they rested upon Galatians 5:1, which speaks of remaining (aka “standing fast”) in the liberty in which Christ has made us free and not becoming entangled again with the “yoke of bondage.”

From this text I began to think about the aspects of true liberty and was further directed to 2 Corinthians 3:17, which states, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emphasis mine).”

Passion Point #1

Whatever I decide to do career-wise should not cause me to become entangled in bondage and quench my Christ-given right to spiritual freedom.  My conscience should be free from guilt in all passions I pursue.

The first verse in Gal. 5 further led me to Philippians 4:6-9 where it discusses not being “careful for [anything].”  For the longest time, I took this to mean worry—just plain worry of any kind—but upon this new revelation of what true liberty is, I began to see “carefulness” in a different light as it related to my search for career advice, pursuing my passions, and guidance.

Phil. 4:6-7, in this new light, would read similar to this:

Verse 6:

“Don’t worry about your choice of career if you’re uncertain of the path you should choose.  Instead, go about your business in prayer, being thankful to God and telling Him your requests, concerns, passions, and ideas.”

Verse 7:

“As a result, God will instill in you a peace beyond human comprehension in which you can trust God to guard your hearts and minds—through Christ Jesus the Lord and Saviour—from taking the wrong career path.”

Passion Point #2

My assignment is not to worry about which career path to take at any given moment (careers change; they’re organic and living) but to let God be a part of my business life and trust Him to keep me from making the wrong career—and financial—decisions.  Result: Liberty from fear!

At the beginning of Gal. 5, a comparison is made between the Old Testament law and rituals usurping authority over the liberty Christ has paid for with His sacrifice.  But seen in this new light (the area of career advice and the pursuit of passions), one could substitute these words and apply them to his/her own career:

Gal. 5:1-4:

  1. “Circumcised/Circumcision” becomes “Worry/Worried”
  2. “Law” becomes “Fear”
  3. “Christ” becomes “Christ’s Liberty”

Having considered all the “evidence” above, I find myself pondering a new concept: Should I really be pursuing the passions I “love” or should I be pursuing the passions that give my soul and conscience true liberty?

Are You Pursuing Your Passions for Love, Like, or LIBERTY?

When it comes to business and entrepreneurship, I believe that there are such concepts as:

  1. Loving something (passion, career, hobby, etc.), but not feeling true freedom and release in doing that thing, and…
  2. Liking something (passion, career, hobby, etc.) that totally creates freedom, as if you’re flying through the tasks at hand like an eagle soaring above all predators, total freedom beneath your wings.

The remainder of Philippians (Phil. 4:8-9) gives us the best guidance in our moments of waiting on the “official word” from God Himself.  When considering a career, project, passion, task, or whatever, ask yourself these 8 questions:

Verse 8:

  • Are my passions truthful to God, myself, and others?
  • Are my passions an honest representation of who I am and my character?
  • Are my passions a just and worthy pursuit?
  • Are my passions pure in motive?
  • Are my passions beautiful to behold?
  • Do my passions have credibility and good credentials?
  • Are my passions virtuous?
  • Are my passions a praiseworthy endeavor?

Verse 9:

When considering the above-mentioned qualities, practice doing what God has prospered in others, take action on the answer God gives you, and His peace will act as a confirmation of His approval in your decision.

It All Comes Back Full Circle

Which leads me back to square one: Gal. 5:1.  When you’ve received your answer from God, based on His authority, STAND ON IT because HE’S GIVEN YOU THE LIBERTY TO PURSUE IT, and NO ONE can “disannul” this “confirmation” (Gal. 3:15-17).

Thank God for this revelation!

E

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Question: What strategies help you determine the best passions to pursue?

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