Finding Your Noble Passions
What we choose to be passionate about is critical. What if Washington had decided to focus on wealth, power or fame instead of freedom? The most important thing we can do is to develop noble passions.
There are two sources of passions. One is founded on pride and the other is charity.
Pride
Pride is competitive in nature. It gets no “pleasure out of being equal with others but in being better, in being richer, smarter or better looking.” Pride is self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness and arrogance. Pride is enmity toward God. “We pit our will against God’s. The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.”
Charity
Service and charity is the source of happiness. Our bowels should be full of charity towards all. It is when we lose our lives that really really find it. Passions that focus on building faith, hope and charity are noble passions. Passions that focus on building faith, hope and charity are noble passions.
Finding Our Noble Passions
Why is it important that we determine what our noble passions are? They can help us to make a difference in the lives of others. They can help us to have courage. They can help us to know who we are, regardless of what others think. They help us to be patient, resilient, temperate and self controlled.
Sticking To Our Noble Passions
As we pursue our noble passions we will inevitably run into opposition. Often we are our own worst enemies. We may believe that we are not good enough and don’t have enough talent. We may be surrounded by others who intentionally or unintentionally belittle us. Some may tell us that we are not good enough, we have too many problems, that things are too risky, and that we need to face reality. We need to gain faith in God and in ourselves. We need to find others who can support us and we support them in their noble visions and pursuits.
