What drives you?

What comes to mind when someone says, "She's really driven" about another?  Is it an admirable quality?  Or do you envision a greedy, ambitious, and unlikable sort?

I don't see Jesus as driven.  Jesus was 100% submissive to His Father's will.  

Submission.  There's a word you don't hear too often these days.

Submission sounds like we're weak, like we have no backbone - like we're a milquetoast.

But Jesus' power came through His connection and obedience to His Heavenly Father.  Obedience implies submission.

Jesus' miracle-working power came through His divine connection to God.

Could Jesus "take" His own power and use it?  I'm sure He could have done so.  

But Jesus was all-wise.  Therefore, He knew from whom His truest and most mountain-moving power came - not from Himself, but from His Father.

So Jesus was not driven, but led.

Jesus was led by God into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil for 40 days. A self-driven person would have run the other way.

Jesus was led by God to do everything He accomplished when He walked this earth.  That took humble submission to His Father's will.

The ultimate submission was when Jesus went to the cross to pay our sin debt in full.  He cried out to God to "let this cup" pass from Him.  But when He knew that "drinking the cup" was the fulfillment of God's purpose for Him, He submitted to the Father's will and suffered something that we can't even imagine suffering.

So the question remains, what drives you?  What moves you to be the way you are in this world?

Is it fame?  Recognition?  Money?  Success?  Accolades?  Trophies?  A sense of accomplishment?

You'd be amazed at what drives some people.  Christians included.

To be driven or to be led.  That is the question!

The love of Christ compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14).  So there is a compelling inside of us from the Holy Spirit to love others and do His will, no matter how difficult or what the repercussions may be.  Being "driven" by love is the best sort of drivenness there is.

But the love of Christ in our hearts is not as a steamroller!  The love of Christ often calls us to sacrifice something.  Whether it be reputation, our own agenda or plans, money, self-will, or even our very lives, there is sacrifice involved when we truly follow and submit to Jesus as Lord.

Any takers?

Why would anyone willingly give themselves up like that to anyone?  Where's the pride in that?  Exactly.  Where is the pride?  Shot to hell where it belongs! That's where!

So next time you feel yourself overwhelmed with the stress of being driven by anything or anyone else other than Christ, you might want to ask yourself why you do what you do.  Motive is everything.  

As we submit, or give in to, the amazing love and power of Christ in our hearts, we are free.  And who doesn't want more freedom?!  Yet another one of the many paradoxes of the Christian walk.

If you're serious about your relatiomship with God, then ask Him to remove any drivenness in you that is not of or from Him.  You're heart, mind, and your nervous system will thank you.

Dear Lord.  I want to be totally led by You and only You.  I don't want any selfish or vain desires to rule over me in any way, shape, or form - for they only leave me empty and frustrated.  I choose to submit to You and Your will for my life, precious Lord.  For You know exactly what You are doing!  And only You have the full picture and perfect perspective that I lack.  Thank You for Your gentle nudgings as well as Your out-and-iout commands to me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.