As I type this, I’m sitting with my feet up. Behind me is a pool. In front of me is a beach and the Pacific Ocean. The current temperature is around 70 degrees with a beautiful breeze occasionally blowing. I’m pretty sure that life doesn’t get more beautiful. Or does it?
I’m at this incredible location for a seminar all week for work. We purchased an additional ticket so my wife could join me. Since our 15th anniversary was just last week, this has been a wonderful opportunity to just spend oodles of time reconnecting, talking, laughing, listening, dreaming and remembering what makes our love our own. It couldn’t get more beautiful.
A few months ago, I was given a new position at work. After a year of uncertainty, I was thrilled to have a place and an opportunity to again be a part of something big. The position is a newly created role so I’ve been getting my “sea legs” for a few weeks now. I’m at this conference because many companies have added this role and all of the people like me are here to connect and learn. It was during one of the seminars on day one that I had this moment of clarity….and it both scared and energized me.
As I observed the passion and the enjoyment that all of those around me had for their jobs, their roles and this conference, I realized that I don’t share it. I felt completely out of place. I didn’t really care about what they were presenting and I wanted to run out of the conference. I was completely out of my element. My mind started to wonder where my “element” is. What is it that I am as passionate about as the people in this room? What makes me come alive like each one of them? What conference would I be this jazzed to attend? I didn’t have to think long, I’ve known it for a long time…
About a year ago, I flirted with an opportunity to join a ministry in Nashville, Tennessee. Truthfully, we did more than flirt. Those that know the story (a small group), know that we had a phone interview and even spent a weekend in Nashville interviewing in person. Scared to death, but excited with possibilities, we walked every step. I never thought I would be looking at a job in ministry. Yet there we were….and here I am. After a mutual decision closed that door (well, mostly closed that door), life moved on and I thought I had too. Maybe I’ve just been kidding myself this whole time.
My “moment of clarity” on Tuesday brought me face-to-face with the reality that I have a passion for ministry. While the people here talked about companies and what they were doing to improve service, I wondered about their cities, their lives and what’s at their core. While we chatted over lunch, I asked questions about them, they asked questions about what company I worked for. It’s not that they are wrong or bad, it’s what they are passionate about. I wanted to know if they attend a church, what that church is doing and lives that are being changed because of it. You see my passion lies in that area, theirs lies where we were spending this week learning about.
I don’t know what all of that means. I don’t know WHERE all of that means. I just know that God was making it real clear that I better not get too comfortable. There will come a day and a time when my passion and an opportunity will collide. It’ll be a moment where I’ll be as excited as these people were about what I “do”. Quite honestly, I’m really looking forward to it.
