Do you know what the word enthusiasm actually means? It is a combination of two Greek words: en, which means “within,” and theos, which means “God.” So…enthusiasm literally means “God within!” As you are being changed from glory to glory, you should be moving from passion to passion, with Him as the delight of your heart. He is the greatest ecstasy, the highest pleasure. This does not mean that life is always easy; it does mean that beneath the discipline, duty and raw obedience required in the overcoming, there is a deep inner spring of passion and enthusiasm. Duty void of passion is religion; duty fueled by passion is sonship.
Brother Lawrence is one of my favorite characters in church history. He served as a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery in Paris during the 1600’s, where he spent his days either working in the kitchen or repairing sandals. During a time when the church was steeped in religion and works aimed at earning God’s approval, Brother Lawrence, by contrast, had a simple walk with God based solely on doing all things in love. Though, in the flesh, he hated kitchen work and was not very good at it, he learned that doing everything out of love for God transformed even the most mundane tasks into holy ecstasy. He said,
Men invent means and methods of coming at God’s love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God’s presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him? … It is not needful that we should have great things to do… We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.
His goal for every moment of every day was to simply love God, without any thought of self, and to seek Him, without even seeking His gifts. He viewed doing even the most distasteful task as a way of loving God. Though he started out with the goal of punishing himself (in line with the religious philosophy of the day), he ended up experiencing wave after wave of indescribable bliss. He learned to abide in the Vine, by staying aware of his heart connection to God at all times. He said that at first, it took great effort to train his wandering mind and that he had to gently bring it back many times each day. But over time, his mind and heart learned to remain at home in the Father’s heart, no matter what he was doing or what was happening around him. His abiding and his joy were unshakeable. He, like Enoch, walked with God in Divine ecstasy. Though Brother Lawrence seemed to have accomplished little by religious or worldly standards, his simple, timeless truths have changed the lives of countless people throughout history. He understood the power of passion and the secret of being IN desire fulfilled. Desire Fulfilled is actually a person, and His name is Jesus!
“…and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,” says the Lord of hosts. –Haggai 2:7, NKJV
You truly are IN Him, and your awareness of your oneness with Him allows you to experience holy bliss at all times. And unlike happiness that is dependent upon things and circumstances, no one can take it from you, unless you choose to give it away.
Remember that co-creating with God and manifesting miracles is all about the uniting of thoughts, feelings and words. Imagination gives you the opportunity to feel the emotions of joy and DESIRE FULFILLED, which, in turn, creates joy as the desire is fulfilled! And joy is the highest compliment to God!
…we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because His heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be His, He endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God! –Hebrews 12:2, TPT
James 5:16 tells us that it is the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer that moves mountains. Why? Because passionate prayer is the alignment of thought, word and intense emotion. The Father doesn’t want us to be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16) for the same reason He doesn’t want us to be double-minded (James 1:8). He longs for us to be recipients of His lavish goodness, and lukewarmness (lack of positive feeling and desire) misaligns us, preventing us from receiving.
If you are not feeling passion in life, you may have played it safe instead of stepping out in faith. You may have compromised something to remain comfortable. Finding your passion will probably involve expending spiritual and emotional energy and taking risks. If you do not have a burning desire, simply draw upon your connection with His burning heart. He is a zealous, passionate God, and His heart is your heart. Even in difficult situations, you can still delight yourself in Him. He is a continual feast.
This is an excerpt from my book, Miracles Are Normal: Co-Creating Through Oneness With God. You can purchase paperback or digital copies from my website here: Miracles Are Normal. And you can purchase from Amazon here: Miracles Are Normal on Amazon
Until next time…
-Virginia