What drives us?

Have you ever been stirred to prove someone else wrong? Often we are motivated to do something because we are very conscious of our shortfall. Many successful people have been driven by the need to overcome a painful memory, a 'put down' or some other provocation. Sometimes we will make a vow to not be like someone else. Often however we find that the very thing or image that we want to avoid, we actually become like. This reminds me of the apostle Paul who said, "for what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do". (Rom.7:15)


We can be motivated by guilt. Cain killed his brother and God said to him "you will be a restless wanderer on the earth." He became a prisoner of his past. Guilt imprisons people. Restlessness enslaves people. Fear and anxiety can also imprison people. It cripples the release of creativity. It robs people of vitality. Countless millions are shackled by fear. The Bible antidote to fear is love. "Perfect love casts out fear". "God doesn't give us a spirit of fear but a love, power and a sound mind" (2 Tim.1:7) Another driver that adversely affects people is anger and resentment. Anger denies the beholder peace. It erodes grace. Resentment hurts the person who holds it more than the person to whom resentment is directed at.


The only healthy, life giving driver is God's love. The only healthy driver is the need to receive love and the need to give it away. God is love. We are wired to get love from Him so that we can in turn be filled as well as give away His love to others. His love is never in deficit or somehow flawed. We are wired to need approval, affirmation and significance. But when we realise that God alone is One who is the source of our approval, we will be empowered to have Godly confidence and Godly hope that will never disappoint.


One of the benefits of receiving His love is that we become less conscious of ourselves. When this happens we begin to live for Him and others. We will be less obsessed with the need to get approval from others. We will be more productive with what we have. I believe that life goes better when we know that we are loved.










This blog is based on a message given by Ross Smith at The Vine church, Logan City, Queensland, Australia on Sunday 16th August 2015. The full message can be accessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching