Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Romans 12:11-13

In my role in the pharmaceutical industry, I’ve listened to a number of promotional talks over the years. Some were better than others, but there is one that stands out. I heard a clinician speak of her passion for the patients she treats. Her enthusiasm was contagious and I think she challenged some of the providers in the room to take another look at how they approach their treatment.

Contagious enthusiasm!

That’s what I observe in Paul’s encouragement from the verse above in Romans. Paul recognized the importance of maintaining that enthusiasm as well. In another letter he reminded his protege, Timothy, to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6).

How can we fan the flame and avoid losing our enthusiasm for the things of God? It is all too easy to become discouraged with the circumstances of life, right?

With that in mind, I think we can learn something from the doctor I mentioned earlier. Instead of becoming discouraged when the challenges of today’s healthcare system, she keeps her focus on helping her patients recover.

Instead of allowing circumstances to drain the life out of us and make us stagnant and frustrated, we can fan the flame of our faith and keep the passionate intensity alive by focusing on the last phrase in verse eleven – “serving the Lord enthusiastically.”

Paul follows with a list of examples of how to respond. We are to rejoice, be patient, keep praying and put our faith into action.

Our work is to serve the Lord and in the letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote “Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people”(Ephesians 6:7 NLT). Our faith is an active faith and the result is a life that is fulfilling.