Psalms 69
Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. Psalms 69:9 NKJV
Is your passion for God contagious, noticeable, or barely perceivable? King David admits in this verse that he was actually obsessed with following God’s ways, which was not easy for him. People mocked David because of his intense zeal for the Lord. People even insulted God because of David, which was very difficult for David to endure. But through all of the hardship David experienced in his life, his faith and devotion to God stayed strong, which serves as an excellent example for anyone reading the book of Psalms. God wants us to have strong, stable, passionate faith as opposed to it being half-hearted and superficial: “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). Here are some ways to help maintain your passion and zeal for God:
1) Make sure your faith is based on a relationship with God, not merely a religion. Having a relationship with God means that you include Him in your daily life and don’t reserve just a few hours for Him on Sunday. This means that you pray to Him throughout the day, study His Word, trust in Him, and spend time with Him in an effort to constantly grow closer to Him.
2) Soften your heart. When a person’s heart is hardened, a quality relationship with him/her is impossible: “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts” (Ephesians 4:18). Hard hearts destroy relationships, tear up friendships, ruin people’s health, and eradicate any chance of peace or joy. If you want to experience any level of spiritual wellness, you must forgive those who have done you wrong, let go of any bitterness, and allow past wounds to heal. Forgiving someone and letting go of emotional wounds doesn’t mean you agree with what people did to you. But it does mean that you give up any goal, agenda, or desire to exact revenge. You give the people who hurt you, along with what they did, over to the Lord. The root word of forgive is, after all, “give.” You must humble yourself before God, forgive those who have hurt you (even if they don’t ask for forgiveness), and soften your heart before Heaven and those around you.
3) Clean out the sin. Let God do some house-cleaning in your heart and mind. If you’ve given yourself over to negative emotions, destructive habits, addictions, etc., you are living in disharmony with God and with the identity God has fashioned for you. God doesn’t create anyone to be bitter and angry, an addict, a gossip, a liar, a cheater, or a criminal. It is by choice that we allow sin to corrupt us and get us off course. Therefore, we must make the conscious decision to let God clean out the sin in our lives. Only then are we making room for Him to do a great work in us.
4) Be Spirit-Filled. The idea of being filled with the Spirit has to do with an ongoing sense of God’s Spirit working in your life. As you live out your faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit increasingly guides your thoughts, emotions and actions, which leads to joy, peace, thankfulness, and ultimately right relationships.
5) Remember the good things God has done and share them with others. Personal testimonies are very powerful! “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all Your works and consider what Your hands have done” (Psalm 143:5). One of the best ways to stay passionate and enthusiastic about God is to remember what He has done in your life and the lives of your friends and loved ones. Maybe it was a prayer that was answered. Maybe God perfectly orchestrated some events in your life as only He can. Maybe it was a feeling of comfort you received after talking to God or hearing a sermon. Maybe it was being able to endure a difficult time in your life because you were filled with peace and hope instead of your usual worry and anxiety. Maybe you felt God’s strength fight for you when you needed it most. Notice what God does in your life and give Him the proper credit and praise.
6) Positive fellowship. Surround yourself with people who encourage you and are a positive influence in your life. This is especially the case with your brothers and sisters in Christ. The effect of having others around you who are likewise following God and cheering each other on will encourage you and influence you – all in a good way.
7) Be ready to listen for His voice and act! God’s presence is always with you, but the more you spend time with Him, the more you will be able to hear from Him. Hearing from God and then answering His call on your life will undoubtedly stir up fervor and excitement for Him!
Remember these points when your passion for God is not burning as bright as it should be. Don’t feel bad or guilty when you realize that you have allowed the busyness of life or some other situation to interfere with your relationship with your Creator. Just get back on track by following these principles and trust that God will ignite the passion that has been burning in you since the moment you received His Holy Spirit.