Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. Psalm 1:1 (NLT)
When you’re a passionate person, you have to look out for “firehoses”: the people who will try to put out the flames of zeal and purpose in your heart.
Some of these people are rationalists who are happy to explain all the reasons why your dreams won’t work. Others take the “wisdom” approach, thinking that because they’ve been around the block a few times, their experience is more valuable than passion. Then there are the “yeah, but” people who sound like they agree with you at first, but are actually disguising their doubts. You’ll also run into naysayers, who are always focused on the negative—even in great opportunities.
Of course we need to weigh the risks and use wisdom when we embark on something new. But refuse to let other people’s negative attitudes seep in and kill your passion.
We need to watch out that we don’t become firehoses too. If you’re not careful, the older or more successful you become, the more you’ll want to hang on to what’s comfortable rather than push to a new level. When you have greater responsibilities and resources under your care, change becomes riskier.
But as a king, David refused to give to God what cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). In other words, you need to be willing to make sacrifices and take risks to pursue the passions God has placed on your heart. Have you let other people or past success put out your passion? Decide that you won’t let fear or negativity stop you from moving forward. When you’re relying on God, it’s all worth it!