Desire and Passion: Distinctions in the Human Spirit
The answer can be formulated as follows: not every desire is an expression of passion. A desire can express a conscious, deliberate striving, whereas passion is an uncontrolled, often distorted emotion that displaces other aspects of one’s personality.Thus, one source emphasizes the difference between a noble desire and passion:"Believers understand that he does this not by his own strength, but by the strength of God. All because he has a sacred desire to serve his neighbor. But there are other cases when a certain passion in a person begins to grow unrestrainedly, becoming unleashed... A person may appear virtuous on the outside, but in reality, it is merely the manifestation of a single passion." (source: link txt)It is also noted that the same external manifestation may be the result of either natural energy or passion:"Passion occurs, for example, when the body and soul of a person are compelled into action by anger;... The same manifestation can be due to either energy or passion." (source: link txt)Additionally, another source points out that desires can form the basis of free choice, rather than coercion or irrational passion:"And even the Lord gave us all the commandments in the form of wishes. For it would be violence against a person... It is your will. The Lord respects us, respects our will and does not want to force anyone..." (source: link txt)Thus, there exist other types of desires that differ from passion. A desire can be a well-thought-out, deliberate choice, whereas passion represents an uncontrolled and often destructive force.