Check Your Zeal
Zeal: an intense passion or eagerness towards something, an ardent pursuit whether it be good or bad.
We all have zeal within us, driving us toward our passions and interests. Below are a few questions to ask yourself to contemplate the nature of your zeal, and hopefully, encourage your zeal in the right direction.
What are you zealous about?
The things that you spend your money and time on and the things that consistently occupy your heart and mind are the ones that you are zealous about. In our flesh, it's easy to be fervent about temporal, carnal pursuits. Politics, vacations, hobbies, money, power, control, beauty, aesthetics, security, food, fitness, or success may be what stirs our hearts and minds. However, these passions are fleeting, unable to offer us lasting fulfillment.
Do you have a zeal for God, and subsequently, a zeal for others?
If you consider the things you seek diligently, but God and His will to save souls and edify believers are not among those, it is time to grow up. As Christians, our zeal should be anchored in our pursuit of Christ and not in earthly desires. By His grace He saved your soul from sin and death, giving you eternal life, and it is therefore our reasonable service to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him in return (Titus 3:3-7, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 12:1-2).
We have a beautiful illustration of what a zeal for God and others looks like in Colossians 4:12-13, describing Epaphras, which says, "[12] Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. [13] For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis." Epaphras' zeal for the brethren is a testament to his passionate pursuit of God's will and love for others. He established the church in Colossae and sought to help them continually grow in Christ (Colossians 1:6-8).
If you have a zeal for God, is it consistent?
As written in Galatians 4:18, "[18] But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you." Are you only zealous for God and others when you're within the four walls of the church, or when you're in the company of fellow believers? If your zeal varies depending on your audience, it's crucial to introspect and understand the reasons behind your self-righteous behavior. Are you zealously following God for His glory, or is it a facade to gain human approval (Galatians 1:10, Ephesians 6:6, Colossians 3:22)?
If you have a consistent zeal for God, is it according to the truth?
Romans 10:1-4 reminds us that it's possible to be zealous without understanding: "[2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Being ignorant of the truth isn’t a free pass, regardless of your intention. Even the Apostle Paul himself is an example of this misplaced zeal before Christ saved him (Galatians 1:14).
Zeal without knowledge is vain. The most devout, religious churchgoer is still headed for hell if they haven’t trusted in Christ by grace through faith without works. Misguided zeal leads us down paths that aren't rooted in the truth of the gospel and hurt others with lies. We must therefore strive to ensure our passion for God aligns with the doctrine of grace, the work of Christ on the cross, and His sacrificial love for us (Ephesians 3:17-21, Colossians 2:6-10).
So, how do you kindle this godly zeal?
It starts by diving into God's word, understanding who you are in Christ, and aligning your passions with His will. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. When you spend time knowing God and His love in the living word, your heart and mind are changed: your faith grows. This fire is stoked by prayer, which keeps our hearts and minds in Christ so that you don’t just collect an assortment of Bible facts, but that you actually care about doing what the Bible says (Romans 10:17, Philippians 4:4-7).
As you begin to realize the depth of God’s immense love, shown to us by the death of Christ on our behalf while we were still sinners, you will naturally yearn to share this with others as the Spirit transforms your inner man, translating your zeal for God into a zeal for serving people. This transformation is not instantaneous but a lifelong journey of faith, growth, and consistent renewal in Christ (Romans 5:6-8, 12:1-2).
Let us check our zeal, ensuring it's not just a fervor driven by worldly desires or self-righteousness but a burning passion for God and His grace. Let it be a zeal grounded in His word, consistent in its display, and radiating His love for others. After all, the most fulfilling and eternal pursuit is that of Jesus Christ, which never leaves you wanting. Let us zealously seek Him, serving His people, seeing souls saved, and glorifying His grace.
“[14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, [16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; [17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. [20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, [21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” – Ephesians 3:14-21
