— by Luke Roush

’Find Your Passion’ Is Awful Advice

Take a moment to read the article above by The Atlantic.

Living in Silicon Valley, there's a lot of talk about the 'nature' of our passions. As the saying goes, "Do what you love and you'll never work another day in your life." The reality is that 'what we love' is not just something innate, driven by our nature, but is more shaped by what we nurture over time. For those of us who have had teachers or coaches who made a subject or sport 'come alive' through their passion and encouragement, we know this to be true. For those of us who are parents and found certain instincts 'awakened' with the arrival of children, we have experienced it. As people of faith who are seeking Christ through Scripture, prayer, and fellowship, we know that our love for these disciplines develops over time through experience, and is not innate. Are there certain gifts and abilities that the Lord has given each of us, which we should use to serve God and each other in different ways? Of course. Are there certain tasks that come more naturally to Zion Williamson than to Jim Gaffigan, and vice versa? No doubt. But, the manner in which we 'Find Our Passion' in our professional calling should reflect a spirit of intentional nurturing over time vs. discovery of our innate nature.

——

(Thanks to Toby Melville from REUTERS for the cover photo.)