An Effective Way To Renew Passion Many Leaders Miss

Most of us would love passion to fuel our life and work every day.

That’s always how it starts, right?

When you begin something, it’s pretty much all passion.

Whether you’ve felt a call into ministry, you’re starting a new job, you’re toying with a new idea, or you’re even beginning a new relationship, passion gets us out of the gate almost every time.

New almost always fuels passion.

And that passion can stay around for a season or two.

The problem is for all of us, passion fades.  

Even when we know something is right-that we really shouldn’t be doing anything else-passion wanes.  Give it a season, a year, or (for the ultra passionate), a decade, eventually it just doesn’t feel like it used to. Or like we think it’s supposed to.

That’s when we do one of two things:

We look for ways to renew our passion.  A new project.  Better numbers.  More growth.  A promotion.  A new pattern.  A side hobby.

We look for a new position.  We leave what we used to think was our dream calling and hope to find a new one somewhere else.

Can’t get passionate about this job anymore?  Find a new one.

Don’t like your current spouse? Trade her in.

Which is a shame.

Because passion has a surprising counterpart: perseverance.

So many people quit what could be a life calling not because the calling dried up but because their passion did.  
Sometimes perseverance is the only difference between what you are currently feeling and what you will once again feel.

Your emotions eventually catch up with your obedience.

Often perseverance is the only difference between the results you are getting in your current work and the results that are just around the corner.

I always wonder how many people quit just moments before a critical breakthrough.

And think about it: God never promised that all of our days would be filled with passion.

Nor, actually, is passion listed as a virtue.

Guess what is listed as a virtue?  Perseverance.

You will have days, weeks, even seasons that are characterized by passion for what you’re doing.

And you will have periods of time – sometimes long periods of time – where you will simply have to persevere.

If you’re rested, managing your time well and leading well, you might just need to persevere until your passion returns.

Does that mean you should never leave? No. (Here’s a post on how to break through barriers in your current job, and a post outlining five signs that tell you when it’s time to move on).

But don’t miss this.

What I’ve discovered is that on the other side of perseverance is renewed passion.

Maybe the best thing you can do if you’ve got a great idea, a great calling, a great work,  is hang in there.

You’ll be surprised what you might discover.  And accomplish.

In light of the fact that I’m on vacation this week, this is a rewriting of a previous post. Watch for a brand new post Friday.