A reader just commented on the search for finding his passion. He says, “This has become so frustrating that I wish I had never read Dan’s books….how can he say ‘that even a 10 year old knows what they are passionate about’ when I have absolutely NO CLUE!! Apparently God doesn’t want me to know either because that prayer hasn’t been answered yet.”
Unfortunately we often make God our Santa Claus rather then our Creator. If we keep looking for candy canes to be dropped in our stocking I’m quite sure we’ll be disappointed. If we recognize we are “children of the King” we will see our gifts and put them to use. I don’t want to heap guilt or anguish on anyone still struggling to find their gifts and passion. But if we are looking outwardly for that insight we will be disappointed or misdirected. Look at what God has already revealed to you – in trusting your sense of peace and joy as you recognize what you enjoy. God is not holding anything back – don’t put Him in the position of having to make pigs fly to get your attention.
Tags: books, God, pigs, read, santa claus
Dan Miller's Blog 
November 26, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Wow! I cannot believe someone said that about your books! They obviously have not a clue about the purpose you have written about. Something I have learned since reading your books starting a year and a half ago and meeting and loving you, your wife and amazing family — is this: One must be quiet! You mind must be still! The LORD cannot speak to you with noise in your head. Slow your life down. Simplify it! it is amazing how much clarity one receives when they just sit, pray, read, and listen.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
November 26, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I know you have to be quiet and listen to God speaking to you. All too often, we pray for an answer to a question or challenge and are not patient enough to listen for the answer. All good things happen in His time, not ours.
The writer who wishes he had never read your book most likely has so much head trash and noise that he cannot hear himself think much less his Creator.
It took me three entire years to be quiet enough and still enough to find that one gift, among the many I have possess, that I was meant to share with many. And I have to admit, it was a tough journey but definitely worth the trip.
Trusting in God is hard in these days of instant gratification. You want the answer and you want it now. That is part of the mystery of God, the Son and the Holy Spirit; everything happens in His time. To us, we may not get the answer for months or years, but in His time, it might just be a blink of His eye.
November 26, 2009 at 5:10 pm
It is interesting how some of us know from a very young age what we are meant to do in life and others never find out. My husband was given musical talent and started expressing that at the age of 5. He has made his living entertaining people and composing music his whole life. I wanted to be a writer when I was in grade school, but never had the courage or confidence. I finally became a published author at the age of 45. I was a late bloomer, but finally expressed my passion.
November 26, 2009 at 5:23 pm
I can relate to the frustration of your reader. I honestly believe the reader’s frustration stems from his strong desire to do what God has called him to do. It has nothing to do with your book but everything to do with his hunger for an answer. It seems that many years have passed since I asked the question of myself about what I am passionate about. I believe my issue was that I was trying to find outwardly an answer that could only be found by searching inwardly.
I think the reader is in a good spot because once you stop trying figure it out and work it out, you will be able to see what is right in front you. It requires a hunger and thirst. It requires getting to the end of yourself and your ideas and seek the only One who knows the answer. It will require getting quiet, being open to hear what God is saying, and believing that God wants you to know the answer more than you do.
For me, it started with writing down the things I liked doing, identifying books that I tended to gravitate toward, thinking about things people tended to come to me for and being sensitive to the things that really brought me joy and caused me to stay up at night because time seemed to fly when I did it. I also realized there were areas where I noticed things or was sensitive to that others were not. All this, with the results from the personality profile you provide, enabled me to begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together. It is literally developing before my eyes.
It is a process. I think sometimes we want God to just tell us so that we can have a quick answer. But just like he told Abraham, “Go…and then I’ll show”. It requires faith. Faith that God has a plan for you. Faith that He hears you and knows the desires of your heart. Faith that the work that He has begun in you, He will complete.
The process has begun. The reader may not be where he wants to be but at least he is on his way!
November 27, 2009 at 12:56 am
I can understand the guys frustration. at 45, Im often not sure what I want to be when I grow up. But I’m doing some soul searching and praying. It’s not too late to start, to do something. Reading dans book and his 48days.net site is a good place to start.
November 27, 2009 at 4:14 am
I learned from the book “Success Built to Last” that your passion could be activities that you enjoyed so much that you lost track of the time. You can look back in you childhood and see if you could identify such activities. You could also ask yourself question like; “What activities would I like to do for free because I enjoyed it so much?”
There are some tools out there that could help you to identify your hidden potential. I would recommend “Strength Finder 2.0”. It cost some money but the benefit is great. The important thing is that you have to be honest and introspective when performing the test.
Alternatively, you can try Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), there are websites that conduct the test for free. MBTI is more of a personality test but you might be able to understand yourself better and derive your passion from it.
November 27, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Too often we [humans] do not sit still enough to hear the voice of God or when we hear it, we fail to recognize it.
Dan, FWIW, your information is always inspiring, encouraging, and challenging to me.
Frank
November 28, 2009 at 1:21 am
Well I can understand the guy’s frustration. I am being laid off the end of Dec. from a position I have held for 18 years. At this point my mind is racing through option of what to do now. I have read both books and am struggling with implementing the next thing to do. I’ve tried a few of the suggested resume points to the tee to no avail… I’m not frustrated yet but its tough starting over…….
November 30, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I can empathize with the comments from the frustrated reader of Dan’s books…it IS tough and heart wrenching to try and determine what you are here to do. However, I also know that it is in those times where I learn the most about God, my relationship with Him and where he is taking me.
So…I try to take comfort knowing that these periods of desperation usually end up being the places where I grow the most spiritually. God’s main call on our lives is sanctification – and unfortunately, that can often mean some tough times personally. My job is to try and recognize that aspect of it and not just the frustrations.
December 1, 2009 at 1:59 am
I know where you are. I am there too, but I’m almost out.
I can tell you with assurance that this is a season and it will not last forever, but you MUST pass through it.
Jonah, where are you running?
Jeremiah, what’s your excuse?
Much work is going on in the winter
Take advantage of where you are
Pray much; listen much more
December 1, 2009 at 3:22 am
I was so happy when I found my passion that I didn’t know what to do – literally! After getting over finding it through much prayer, frustration, reading the Word of God, and trying it out first, I am in the next stage. Now I seek wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of how to walk it out. The hardest part for me is finding support for journey and breaking out of old mindsets. Then there’s the part where you have to become diligent and faithful to what God has given you now that you know what it is. So, the one who regrets reading your book may eventually want to give up after he’s found his passion and purpose in life.
December 1, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I agree 1000% with Cindy Dunston Quirk. It never ceases to amaze me at how much time I have wasted by not listening to GODS voice and instead listening to my own. I had so much noise in my head its amazing that I have ever gotten anything accomplished. But with persistent prayer and faith building (yes those trials do cause your faith to become stronger) I have found that what GOD spoke to me years ago is finally starting to come to fruition. I cant say it has been painless but GOD is a faithful and loving GOD and all we have to do is rely and depend on him. I think too often we dont give GOD a chance to work in our lives. We want quick, simple and pain free, unfortunately it does not work that way. And I have all too often found out that when I get out of the way that’s when GOD can move.
GOD is truly an on time GOD…but in his time ONLY!!!
December 3, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I believe the person who posted that posted out of a desperate place and just wanted to let off some steam. I have read the books by Dan and love them all. I also know that there is an element that only I can bring to the book that would make me successful – Pray and Action. In his books, on his podcasts and from numerous other sources the common key to finding what God has for you is Pray and Action. One would have to pray to God for direction and to lead their steps and then take action to walk and know that God is leading to truly find their place and their calling. No book, podcast or seminar can take the place of Prayer and Action they only enhance it. I pray that the person who wrote that will find what he/she is looking for!!!
December 3, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I as with the other faithful so much things flash before me
at my prayer time.
Those are the options but if I could only do just one, two, three,
With a grateful heart to God then I wouldn’t be feeling so depressed
all the time. It seems the more I do the more the creativity of the creator
that is instilled in me causes my entire being to create more.
In fact too much that’s why I write them down so that I can look back on the notes and say I should’ve been the one to market that, that is the only time you should say God didn’t give me the grace for that
product or idea. It’s just for someone else. With God no such thing as no clue.
December 4, 2009 at 5:45 pm
I really relate to what this person is saying. The last month has been a roller coaster between hope and misery. My suggestion is to not look for the perfect “calling”, but to just do something. After pulling my hair out, I’m going to write a children’s book. Then, maybe a fiction novel. It stinks having to work a job I hate while I do this, but the alternative is to be 5 more years down the road and in the same circumstance.
So something, anything, and don’t worry about if it works or not.
December 8, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Now this is hghly recommeded post for me. I will surely email this to my friend.
March 9, 2010 at 2:06 am
I can somewhat relate to the fellows frustration. I thought I had it all figured out until I started following Dan (of course what I had figured out wasn’t working anyway!). After that I knew I had a ton of mind changing to do. My resumes look a lot different than they use! Yes, one will feel a bit confused when you start reading Dan’s books, but once the confusion starts to go away the right things will start to happen. Just like Dave Ramsey talks about, “sometimes it take a complete paradigm shift in order to succeed.”