Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church says for people to reach their goals, they must first figure out how to maintain their enthusiasm for the long haul.
Warren writes on his website that he is an enthusiastic person, and he is proud to say that he has been able to maintain his enthusiasm for the past decade and more.
"I haven't been an enthusiastic person for a week or a month," he says. "I have been consistently enthusiastic about the goals that I've set for more than 30 years."
People have been asking Warren how he is able to stay enthusiastic every single day in spite of delays, difficulties, pressure, and criticisms in life. The answer, according to him, is in God.
"Positive thinking is not enough. Pulling yourself up by your psychological bootstraps is not enough. Talking yourself into optimism is not enough," he says. "The way you stay enthusiastic for a lifetime is found in the word 'enthusiasm.' The word 'enthusiasm' comes from the Greek word en theos. En is the Greek word for the English word 'in.' Theos is the Greek word for 'God.' So en theos means to be 'in God.'"
Warren assures people that when they get in God, they will be enthusiastic. Plus, enthusiasm in God will never be affected by the economy, the weather, or any kind of circumstance. Plus, with God in their hearts, Christians will be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer, Warren says.
"It's eternal because you are tied to the eternal God. You are in Christ," he says.
Warren then shares the Bible verse Romans 12:11, wherein Paul tells Christ's followers to "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."
