min read 5
Mission: Mindset Week 6 - Suffer
It’s another Mission Mindset Monday lesson! I truly hope you’ve been encouraged and challenged in this series so far.
Recap from last week: The “D” in M.I.N.D.S.E.T. stands for Different. In order to make a difference, you need to be different.
Before we get into it, let’s quickly review our Mission M.I.N.D.S.E.T. acronym:
M = Know your Maker
I = Be Interruptible
N = Act Now
D = Be Different
One of my favorite words in the English language is the word ‘passion.’ Today, passion refers to all sorts of things:
- Sex, love, or romance
- Emotions such as: enthusiasm, anger, or excitement
- Your job, career, side-hustle, or hobby
However, when you investigate the word’s origin, you find something different. Our English word ‘passion’ comes from the 13th century Latin root word pati, which means ‘to suffer.’ This Latin word was used to describe the death of Jesus -- his arrest, subsequent torture, and crucifixion on the cross. These events are sometimes referred to as ‘Passion’ narratives.
In ancient Greek, we see the same thing. The root verb for passion, paschō, means “to be afflicted” or “to undergo sufferings,” in either a good or bad sense. See, passion is not so much about an athlete’s raw emotion or some love affair. At its core, true passion is one’s willingness to suffer! So, when you say you’re ‘passionate’ about something, what you’re really saying is that you care so deeply that you’re willing to suffer for it.
What are you willing to suffer for?
I believe the only way you’re really going to accomplish your mission in life is through suffering.
Now, I'm not saying go out and be masochistic. It’s not about torturing yourself. It’s about being willing to make sacrifices, embracing the suck, pushing through pain, and fighting for what you believe in when the glitz and glamour vanish, and no one is watching.
For a lot of my life, that's been sports. I was willing to give up a lot of things so that I could be successful. But what am I willing to do for something that really matters like my faith, my family, my community? Christ suffered for you and me. Are we willing to suffer for him?
I hope your answer is yes. I hope you realize that part of having a Mission Mindset is accepting the fact that suffering is inevitable. Sacrifice is inevitable. Welcome it! Open your home and allow it to stay awhile. Trust me, it’s not always fun, but it causes growth. It causes you to get better, to be better.
The ‘S’ in M.I.N.D.S.E.T. is simple. It stands for Suffer. When you have passion, you are willing to suffer. A Mission Mindset embraces suffering, without complaint, with strength, perseverance, and endurance because you know the mission is worth it.
Do you care so much about something that you’re willing to suffer for it?
Go create a life that counts,
Timmy
--
Dig Deeper: Passion is you care so much for something that you're willing to suffer for, compassion is you care so much for someone, you're willing to suffer with. Do you actually have passion for something and compassion forsomeone? Take some time to think about these questions.
Sneak peak @ next week: E - Excellence
Order your copy of Mission Possible today. Find your mission, pursue your purpose, and go create a life that counts!
