Enthusiasm—it’s one of the greatest words in the English language! It is a word that is built deeply into the victorious spirit of man himself. The word enthusiasm is derived from two little Greek words, en and theos, with theos being the Greek word for God. So “enthusiasm” literally means, in its root concept, “full of God.” Maybe that’s why enthusiastic people are so often creative and joyful!
The Bible uses several different words for this idea of being filled with enthusiasm: ardor, zeal, whole-heartedness. My personal favorite is “eager.” When you are eager, you are enthusiastic about your service to God and others. This idea is taught again and again in the New Testament. We are told to:
- Be “eager to serve” (1 Peter 5:2)
- Be “eager for the gifts of the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:12)
- Have an “eager willingness” to finish the work of faith we’ve begun (2 Corinthians 8:11)
- Wait in “eager expectation” for God (Romans 8:9)
- Be “eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14)
God will help you maintain enthusiasm. He will help you overcome all difficulties, all tragedies, all sorrows, all heartaches; He will give you victory. The word itself tells us that people with enthusiasm will be full of God and will, consequently, create a better world and have a better life individually. Enthusiasm makes life exciting and creative; enthusiasm helps a person accomplish things.
In 2 Corinthians 2:14 we read, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” Triumphant people are enthusiastic people! If you really surrender your life to Jesus Christ and follow him (alive, vital Jesus Christ, who is more modern than tomorrow morning’s newspaper, who has the answers that really answer) you will have enthusiasm. He will keep it going for you so that you can overcome your defeats, so that you can make a real contribution to mankind.
But often we find ourselves in an environment where our enthusiasm gets siphoned off. For example, if you are constantly in the company of negative people, you will take on a negative aspect of mind; your mental reactions to people and events will be negative. Which is why you have to practice enthusiasm. You do that by thinking it, by believing it, by praying it, by talking it, until enthusiasm becomes part of your better nature. You must give yourself to your faith with “wholehearted devotion” (2 Kings 20:3). And enthusiasm can be just as contagious as negativity!
So practice enthusiasm. Stop saying the depressing things. Stop saying the discouraging things, the hateful things, the negative things, the critical things. Think enthusiasm! Talk it, live it, pray it, act it! And you will keep enthusiasm going for you every day. “The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7).
