“I observed that the basic motive for success is the driving force of envy and jealousy”…Ecclesiastes 4:4
There are several things that may drive our lives. Factors that direct, guide and control the way we live each day. Not unless we recognize what these factors are we will continue to allow it to dictate our lives. So start asking yourselves, what is the driving force in my life?
It may be:
1. Driven by Guilt
Are you living your life running away from regrets and hiding from shame? Then guilt is the driving force in your life. Guilt-driven people allow their past shortcomings to manipulate the way they live their lives at present. Because of their guilt feeling they would unconsciously punish themselves up to the extent of sabotaging their own success. It’s not wrong to feel guilty, but to live by this guilt and permitting it to disconnect you from God and from what matters most in your life is not right at all. Instead do things that will make you a better person because as long as you are alive your chance of becoming someone better than you were before is yours for the taking.
2. Driven by resentment and anger
For the longest time my life was driven by resentment and anger, only I didn’t know it. I would do things thinking that in some way I could get back at those people who hurt me in the past. At times it makes me feel good but in the long ran I realized that the person I am hurting the most is myself and my family. It was only when I finally forgiven myself, learned to let go and forget that I felt genuinely good inside. No more anger, no more hurt, no more pain. Revenge they say is sweet, but forgiving is much sweeter.
3. Driven by fear
We all have fears, its human nature to be scared. Some people take these fears at a certain level that it hinders them from growing and improving. This is maybe due to some traumatic experiences, unrealistic expectations or genetic dispositions. Fear-driven people would often play it safe and are scared to take risks and venture out. They imprison themselves in their own fear which would eventually result to them not fulfilling their purpose in this world.
4. Driven by materialism
Having more makes me feel more secure, more important and happier. Maybe true for a short period of time but not forever. Though many people still can’t see that happiness provided by material possessions is temporary and superficial still many are driven by materialism. Because they believe having all the wealth makes them more significant in the society. Money and other material possessions can disappear at the blink of an eye but real happiness and significance borne of living life according to God’s plan will never diminish even if we are no longer in this world.
5. Driven by need of approval
Peer pressure, a lot of teenagers today is experiencing peer pressure. Doing things even if they are wrong just to be in or accepted in a group is very rampant today. Peers approval is not the only problem sometimes our own parents or even spouse can even trigger this kind of feeling. They make you feel less of yourself especially when you don’t exceed their expectations. We may not know all the keys to success but one key to failure is trying to please everyone.
There are several things that may drive our lives. Factors that direct, guide and control the way we live each day. Not unless we recognize what these factors are we will continue to allow it to dictate our lives. So start asking yourselves, what is the driving force in my life?
It may be:
1. Driven by Guilt
Are you living your life running away from regrets and hiding from shame? Then guilt is the driving force in your life. Guilt-driven people allow their past shortcomings to manipulate the way they live their lives at present. Because of their guilt feeling they would unconsciously punish themselves up to the extent of sabotaging their own success. It’s not wrong to feel guilty, but to live by this guilt and permitting it to disconnect you from God and from what matters most in your life is not right at all. Instead do things that will make you a better person because as long as you are alive your chance of becoming someone better than you were before is yours for the taking.
2. Driven by resentment and anger
For the longest time my life was driven by resentment and anger, only I didn’t know it. I would do things thinking that in some way I could get back at those people who hurt me in the past. At times it makes me feel good but in the long ran I realized that the person I am hurting the most is myself and my family. It was only when I finally forgiven myself, learned to let go and forget that I felt genuinely good inside. No more anger, no more hurt, no more pain. Revenge they say is sweet, but forgiving is much sweeter.
3. Driven by fear
We all have fears, its human nature to be scared. Some people take these fears at a certain level that it hinders them from growing and improving. This is maybe due to some traumatic experiences, unrealistic expectations or genetic dispositions. Fear-driven people would often play it safe and are scared to take risks and venture out. They imprison themselves in their own fear which would eventually result to them not fulfilling their purpose in this world.
4. Driven by materialism
Having more makes me feel more secure, more important and happier. Maybe true for a short period of time but not forever. Though many people still can’t see that happiness provided by material possessions is temporary and superficial still many are driven by materialism. Because they believe having all the wealth makes them more significant in the society. Money and other material possessions can disappear at the blink of an eye but real happiness and significance borne of living life according to God’s plan will never diminish even if we are no longer in this world.
5. Driven by need of approval
Peer pressure, a lot of teenagers today is experiencing peer pressure. Doing things even if they are wrong just to be in or accepted in a group is very rampant today. Peers approval is not the only problem sometimes our own parents or even spouse can even trigger this kind of feeling. They make you feel less of yourself especially when you don’t exceed their expectations. We may not know all the keys to success but one key to failure is trying to please everyone.
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