In Chapter 3 (“What Drives Your Life?”) of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren discusses 5 of the most common circumstances, values, and emotions that can drive our life and obstruct our relationship with Jesus.
1.Guilt: People driven by guilt are manipulated by past memories and hurts. Following our ministry downsizing or career loss, we may feel guilt about (a) our perceived or actual contributions to that loss; (b) what, in retrospect, we could’ve done differently; (c) our inability to support your family.
2. Resentment and anger: Rather than releasing pain through forgiveness, ruminating on that pain creates an unhealthy mind-set, allowing those who have hurt us to continue to do so. Forgiveness is necessary for our emotional/spiritual health, and isn’t dependent on the offender’s participation.
3. Fear: Fear is a self-imposed prison that immobilizes us. We may fear (a) never returning to our ministry or chosen career; (b) meeting our financial obligations; (c) running into those associated with/ responsible for our loss.
4. Materialism: While money wasn’t the reason we chose our career, losing what little we had (by worldly standards) may subconsciously shift our focus precisely to material thoughts.
5. The need for approval: We may allow other’s expectations to drive us. The may disapprove of: (a) our inability to find a position with comparable pay and status; (b) how long we’re taking to “get over it”.
As Rick notes, the good news is: “God specializes in giving people a fresh start.”
