Passionate Spirituality

 What’s your reaction when you first read that phrase?

«      Turned off by visions of high energy, high volume, emotive worship?

«      Intrigued by the possibilities inherent in the wording?

«      Connecting with the description as expressive of your experience?

«      Somewhere in-between?

«      Something completely different?

The wording can be taken in any number of directions, some comfortable for us and some distinctly uncomfortable.  And we don’t all have the same reaction.

Some may think that passionate spirituality means very active, visually and verbally demonstrative ways of showing our love for God and for Jesus.  It might include clapping and dancing and raising hands to praise God.  It might mean using both worship and other avenues to witness to Christ and convert others to Christianity.  It might mean praying out loud in any number of settings. 

While those styles of worship may be a way some folks make a connection with God, it is by no means the only way.  And, while it’s not the wrong way, it is also not the only right way.

Passionate Spirituality has more to do with the authenticity and depth of one’s love for God than the way of showing that love.  Spirituality means the connection we have with God, the Holy and Wholly Other, the Triune God, the Creator, Savior and Advocate.  Passionate means that connection is heartfelt and soulful.  That it comes from deep within the truest part of our self. 

Passionate Spirituality is physically expressed but that expression has nothing to do with the quantity of activity or sound.  It has to do with the quality, how genuine, how honest, how real we are.  And how open we are to continuing to grow more and more in love with God. 

Natural Church Development defines passionate spirituality this way:

Effective ministry flows out of a passionate spirituality.  Spiritual intimacy leads to a strong conviction that God will act in powerful ways.  A godly vision can only be accomplished through an optimistic faith that views obstacles as opportunities and turns defeats into victories.

I like Jesus’ adaptation of the Old Testament directive:  Luke 10.27: 

He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’

The more completely and fully you love God the more your love grows.  You recognize the Divine in the world and in your life.  That is the basis of our Christian hope and joy.  That is the result of passionate spirituality. 

May your love for God grow more and more passionate everyday.

Peace, Rev. Lynda