"I observed that basic motive for success is the driving force of envy and jealousy."
Ecclesiastes 4 : 4 (LV)
Everyone's life is driven by something.
I know you've heard this thing before because I did too and that's the first sentence written in this chapter. Rick Warren sighted five forces that drives people's lives. There are guilt, resentment and anger, fear, materialism and need for approval. I'm not going to discuss the whole thing because it's gonna be long but let me just give you a glimpse of each of those driving force.
First, people driven by guilt are those spending their lives running from regrets or hiding their shame. They let their past control them, in fact they are prisoner of it. They are sabotaging their own success by caging themselves in their pasts. Second, people driven by resentment and anger are actually the one who hold extreme grudges to their offenders. Instead of letting it go, they rehearse the entire pain in their minds all over and over. The past hurts them so much and they're unconsciously motivated to do things for their offenders. Third, people driven by fear are those who often miss great opportunities because of not venturing it. Those people try to maintain their status quo by avoiding risks and love to play safe in all aspect. They're actually preventing themselves from becoming what God intends for them to be. Fourth, people driven by materialism are those who think possession will make them happy and secure. They think their value determined by their valuables. They even stick to the fact that it gives them real and lifetime security. And last, people driven by the need for approval are those who controlled by the opinions of other people. They try to please everyone by following other people's standards and they get lost in it.
Now as I understand the five driving force, I can say all my life I am driven by the two. Those are resentment and need for approval. I am driven by resentment and anger because it's very obvious in my early posts how I am extremely motivated by bitterness. I hold grudge to people who hurt me so much. I even promised to myself that I am going to be somebody who has an amazing life that they would look after. But then, through this chapter, I've realized how bitterness could poison my entire life. No matter how far I could get with my life, I'm still the loser because my offender might forget the pain he brought me into my life but through perpetuating the past, the pain still there. The Bible says, "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do." So meaning, I should learn from it and let it go. On the other hand, I just said that the second driving force is the need for approval. I always say that I don't care about other people but deep inside I always think about how they people about me, at least those people I like. I want them to like me and to create great impression. I want people to talk about how amazing I am doing creative and intellectual stuff. But then, this chapter says that being controlled by other people's opinions is a guaranteed way to miss God's purpose for our lives. Yes, the key to failure is to try to please everyone which would never happen.
I've learned a lot from this chapter that would somehow change the way I live my life. Like I don't need to create legacy here on earth because it's just a short-sighted goal and soon no matter how important it is, it will be forgotten. Next, if I want my life to have impact, I should carefully think about it and focus it. I don't need to do a lot of stuff. I should at least do all the things God intend me to do.
Note to God:
I thank you for all enlightening stuff I learned today. I am so glad that you helping me and a lot of people to live our lives simple and with meaning. I know it takes time for me to acquire all the things I'm learning from this book and from serving you, but I know someday I will live perfectly from what you intend me to be. Thanks for all the realizations. I love you so. :)
