To pursue or not to pursue, that is the question.  This is a great question I received from a previous post, “Goal Setting”

… How do you know, when you come up against a failure when you need to learn from it and continue at it in the same direction that you are going and when you need to totally change direction and accept that heading in that direction is not where you were meant to go?...

I also received a related question as to what is a worthy passion to pursue from a previous post, “Do what you love!”

OK, silly question, how do you know which passion to pursue? For example, a passion for really, really nice things, may not necessarily be the right one to pursue. A person may think it would make them happy, short-term, but are not sure how they will be affected long-term. What if one person feels passionate about being healthy, positive media awareness, support for depression, giving to others, writing, drawing, taking photos, scrap booking, church, and multiple charities. Do they pick just one and go from there?

Let’s begin with the obvious…I’m assuming there is a moral code that we are taking for granted here. Certain things that you “love” to do may not be in your best interest. You may ‘love’ looking at inappropriate material but I’m not suggesting that you do it. You may ‘love’ drinking until you pass out but I’m not suggesting that you do that either. That is, “Do what you love!” isn’t about falling for temptation or pursuing a sinful passion but rather pursuing the healthy desires of your heart.  Sorry, hope I didn’t disappoint anybody! 

How do you know if a passion is healthy? Ask a simple question, “Why?” I know it is a short little word but it has power in it! I have this passion…why? Why am I passionate about this? What I am expecting to receive from its fulfillment? Ask yourself and pray about it. Keep asking until you get to the bottom of it. For example, if you have a passion for a really nice, new car and you want to pursue it. Ask, “Why do I want it?” That is, what is your motive? If you respond that it is a cool car and you’ll feel good in it—you’ll feel successful and admired, then perhaps you could focus on developing your self-worth rather than on acquiring the car. Your passion in this example isn’t the car but the feeling of approval and a stroked self-worth. Acquiring the car is simply a vehicle (no pun intended) to achieve those feelings.

Ultimately, the passions that you want to pursue are the ones that you either feel called to do by God or you feel are part of the puzzle to allow you to fulfill God’s plan for your life. Your life consists of eight segments:

1. Spiritual--relationship with God, prayer, worship, fellowship, faith, spiritual practices
2. Family--immediate, extended, social family of friends, romance  
3. Work--vocation, career, volunteer work, service  
4. Leisure--fun, play, travel  
5. Physical--Health, Fitness  
6. Financial--earning, tithing, saving, donating, spending money  
7. Educational--reading, audio learning programs, seminars, classes, study groups, personal growth  
8. Creative--writing, cooking, gardening, painting, crafting

Consequently, a balanced life would consist of pursuing passions in each segment. There is a natural balance to your life and when any one area is hurting, it will affect the other areas. So, pursue something in each area. Your calling in life is related to one or more of these passions.

Finally, when is enough enough? In other words, when do you say, “It’s time to stop and move on.” Even with things that you may have started with passion, you can come to a point where you are questioning your continuation. The answer is not when you believe you have gone on long enough but rather when you believe it is not God’s will for your life or when you believe that another path will allow you to better fulfill God’s will for your life. That is, your persistence is best measured according to God’s will rather than according to your own level of fatigue or doubt. This is why it is so vital that you are constantly seeking God’s will for your life through prayer. What many don’t consider when pursuing something is that the purpose for it may not be what they anticipated. God is very creative—just look around the world to confirm that. His results for your life may not be what you were thinking but they were just what you needed.

         

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and God appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of the cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all of his might.
 

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that the whole day had been spent in vain.
 

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind, “You have been pushing against this rock for a long time, and it hasn’t moved.” Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible, and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.
 

Satan said, “Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving only the minimum effort, and that will be good enough!”

So that was what the weary man planned to do, but wisely decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

“Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have commanded. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by so much as a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately, “My son, when I commanded you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move the rock. Your task was only to push against it and now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is it really so?

Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled. Your back is sinewy and brown. Your hands are callused from the constant pressure. Your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. All of this you have done. Now, my friend, I will move the rock.”

Realize that your “failures” may be lessons and development that you need to truly fulfill God’s will for your life. You may actually be right on track! So, P.U.S.H.!!! That is, push and Pray Until Something Happens. Pray and search for God’s will for your life. There is nothing more important that you can do. All the while, pursue the passions of your heart with all you have. Pursue them in each area of your life.