Everybody's life is driven by something. Do you know what the driving force is in your life? Right now you may be driven by a problem, pressure or deadline. You may be driven by a painful memory, a huge fear or a belief. There are hundreds of circumstances, values and emotions that can drive your life, in particular these 5 common ones:
1. Guilt Many people spend their whole lives running from regrets and hiding shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated by memories, they allow their past to control their future and often subconsciously punish themselves by sabotaging their own success. When Cain killed his brother, his guilt disconnected him from feeling God's presence and God said, "You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Genesis 4:12. This describes most people today - wandering through life with no purpose. We are all products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it. God's purpose is never limited by your past. Moses was a murderer and God turned him into a compassionate leader, he also turned Gideon, a coward, into a courageous hero. If God did this, he can do amazing things with your life too. God loves to give people a fresh start.
2. Resentment Lots of people hold onto their hurts and never get over them. Instead of releasing their pain through forgiveness, they let the pain dominate their mind. Some resentment-driven people internalise their anger, while others explode with it in an uncontrolled way. Both responses are unhealthy and unhelpful. Resentment always hurts you more than it does the person you resent. While the offender has probably forgotten about the offence and is getting on with life, you continue to dwell on the past, perpetuating your pain. Those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold onto the pain through resentment. Your past is your past and nothing will ever change it, "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do" Job 5:2
3. Fear Fears may be a result of a traumatic experience, unrealistic expectation, living in an over-disciplined home, or other things. Regardless of the cause, fear-driven people often miss out on many opportunities because they're afraid to step out. Instead, they play it safe and avoid risks. Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. The only way to defeat fear is to move against it with the spiritual weapons of faith and love, "well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life, fear of death, fear of judgement, is one not yet fully formed in love." 1 John 4:18
4. Materialism The desire to acquire for many people becomes the main goal of their lives. This drive to always get more is based on the misconception that having more will make you more happy, important and secure. But all of these three are untrue. Possessions only provide temporary happiness, because things do not change and we eventually become bored with them and then want a newer, better version. It's also a myth that if you get more you will be more important. Your true value is not determined by your valuables and having more money will not make you more secure. Real security can only be found in things that can never be taken from you such as your relationship with God.
5. Need for approval Some people allow the expectations of those around them to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of dislikeable parents. Others are driven by peer pressure, always worried by what others might think. One of the sure ways to fail is to constantly try to please everyone. Being controlled by the opinions of others is a guaranteed way to miss God's purposes for your life.
There are also other forces that can drive your life, but they all lead to the same dead end; unused potential, unnecessary stress and an unfulfilled life. That's why there is nothing more important than knowing God's purpose for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing it, not success, wealth, fame or pleasure. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without reason. Without a purpose, life is trivial and pointless.
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