How to Stay Enthusiastic for a Lifetime

[How to Stay Enthusiastic for a Lifetime]( Current Teaching Series [God's Prescription for a Healthy Life]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [How to Stay Enthusiastic for a Lifetime]( By Rick Warren — 05/12/2022 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:11-12 (NIV) In order to reach your goals, you have to figure out how to maintain your enthusiasm over the long haul. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” I believe that with all of my heart and have found it to be true in my life. You’ve got to have passion and enthusiasm, or you’re never going to make it to the finish line.  Most people would consider me an enthusiastic person—and I am. I haven’t been an enthusiastic person for just a week or a month. My enthusiasm has not waned after a year or five years or 10 years. I have been consistently enthusiastic about the goals that I’ve set for more than 30 years. How do you do that? How do you stay enthusiastic day after day in spite of delays, difficulties, dead ends, problems, pressures, and criticisms? How do you stay enthusiastic for more than 30 years? Positive thinking is not enough. Pulling yourself up by your psychological bootstraps is not enough. Talking yourself into optimism is not enough. The way you stay enthusiastic for a lifetime is found in the word “enthusiasm,” which comes from the Greek word en theos. En is the Greek word for “in.” Theos is the Greek word for “God.” So en theos means to be “in God.” When you get in God, you will be enthusiastic. It’s the kind of enthusiasm that isn’t affected by the economy or the weather or your circumstances. It’s eternal, because you are tied to the eternal God. You are in Christ. Paul tells you how to be “in God”—enthusiastic—in Romans 12:11-12: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (NIV). If you want to reach your goals, you need to get God-given enthusiasm by being joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Start by praying this prayer today: “Dear God, I don’t want to go another day without you in my life, controlling every part of my heart. I dedicate myself to you. I offer myself as a living sacrifice to you as a spiritual act of worship. “I humbly admit that I need help. I want you to renew my mind, so I can think the way you want me to think—with the mind of Christ. Please forgive me for my pride. I don’t want to think more highly of myself than I should. My faith needs to grow, and I need your help to set goals that can be measured so I can manage them. Forgive me for trying to change on my own. “I want to fill my life with love. I want to fill my life with you. Help me to take delight in honoring other people and to focus on giving my life away so that you can take care of my needs. I want to nurture my enthusiasm by being in you. Help me to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( ?utm_source=ActiveCampaignamp;utm_medium=emailamp;utm_content=How+to+Stay+Enthusiastic+for+a+Lifetimeamp;utm_campaign=Daily+Hope+-+English+RSS+Feed+-+HTML+-+God+s+Prescription+for+a+Healthy+Life+-+04%2F29%2F2022&a=||1000855218||&account=dailyhope%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&email=yJRzsaxa%2Btm%2FpJ2Cpy9L%2B3s3PQGmvHXjyw%2Fse0%2FzfL0%3D&s=804261a56dc1983865967af48bcba05f&i=1910A2104A2A102481) Talk It Over - How have you tried in your own strength to be enthusiastic about reaching a goal over a long period of time? Were you successful? - When have you experienced God-given enthusiasm? How did it change how you worked toward a goal? - In what part of your life do you need to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, or faithful in prayer today? The post [How to Stay Enthusiastic for a Lifetime]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( [Get The Daniel Plan Hardcover Book when you give a gift to support Daily Hope!]( What started as a simple weight-loss resolution by Pastor Rick Warren has become a journey called The Daniel Plan that’s helping thousands transform their lives. Created with biblical insight and assistance from medical and fitness experts, The Daniel Plan guides you through an innovative approach to achieving a better, healthier life based on the essentials of faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends. The Daniel Plan is a powerful Bible-based program, that has helped thousands of people lose weight, increase their energy, and improve their relationships, all while growing closer to the Lord! It’s the essential ingredient you need to change your health from the inside out! [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 9 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series God's Prescription for a Healthy Life. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Why We Need Each Other Message 2: Getting Your Ship Out of the Harbor Message 3: Setting Goals in Faith Message 4: What It Takes to Really Change Message 5: God's Prescription for Health Message 6: Winning With the Hand You're Dealt Message 7: The Awesome Power of Focus Message 8: The Amazing Power of Forgiveness Message 9: The Awesome Power of Faith [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? 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