Passions

Everyone has something that really makes them passionate. Sometimes these things change and sometimes they are things that have been a part of a person's whole life.

I have found that my passions change in terms of hobbies or activities but the general theme always stays the same. Since about high school I have found myself constantly thinking and wondering how I can center my passions on making myself a successful and contributing citizen. It's always on the back of my mind. When I find another hobby that I love, I think, Could this be the hobby that takes off and I could turn into a business? So far, that hasn't happened but I'm not worried.

Being a Christian adds an additional element to this topic. I know that God gives each of His children special gifts and talents. I find this fascinating because this fact gives each and every person a purpose. A purpose in life. No one is here just to be. God calls each of His children to use their special talents and gifts to glorify Him.

Some people's talents and gifts are more obvious. Some people can sing. That's an obvious one. Some people can draw or paint. Another obvious one. Some people are mathematical and business-minded. This isn't as obvious but still more obvious than others.

I'm always wondering what talents or gifts God has blessed me with. I've come a long way since I started thinking on this many years ago but I don't think my gifts are as obvious. You could figure this out yourself too if you ever heard me sing. I mean, I'm not as bad as the Little Mermaid seagull but I'm not Whitney Houston material either. I'm good enough to sing hymns in church where only the people that are standing right next to me and love me (and thus cannot shun me) can hear me. And as far as artistic skills go, I once was inspired by my mom's artistic ability. I was probably 11 years old or so. I thought I would draw a beautiful Christmas picture, complete with holly and ivy. I got out all my mom's paints and brushes and a little piece of canvas (I wanted to start out small). I figured I would just sweep my brush here and there and a picture would just magically appear because of my inherited artistic talent. Let's just say, when I got finished with my picture, there was nothing magical about my holly and ivy. In fact I'm not sure you could really call what I painted anything close to art. I knew right then that I had sadly not inherited my mom's talent.

So finding the talents that God made me to have is always on the back of my mind as I find hobbies and activities. How is this hobby or activity that is really exciting to me something that I would be able to use to glorify God? And as God molds me into the person He wants me to be, I think those gifts become more obvious. I heard it described just this week that we are like gold. Gold has to be worked and shined and rubbed in such a way that all the impurities are brought to the surface and worked out so that the metal can really shine. I can certainly relate to this analogy as I feel that I have more impurities on the surface right now than a golden shine.

The beautiful thing about all of this though, is that no matter when you or I discover our God-given talents and discover those passions that really gets us going, God has a work in each of us that He will complete. This gives me hope. And I know that just because I haven't really figured out my niche yet, doesn't mean I won't. It's just not time yet. God is rubbing and working my impurities out so that when I do discover exactly what God has gifted me to do, I can shine and show the whole world what God has created in me and really do those talents justice.