What Compels You?

What compels you?

I started reading in 2 Corinthians this morning and came across this verse in Chapter 5:14-15, " For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who love should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

According to Merriam-Webster, the word COMPEL means:

1. to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly
2. to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure
3. to drive together

When we look at these definitions in light of the previous verse, Christ's love should drive us or urge us forcefully and irresistibly to live for him and not for ourselves. Unfortunately, we allow other things to compel us rather than Christ's love.

Looking back to about a week and a half ago, I can tell you the very thing that compelled me and I think it may be the very thing that compels you. That thing that drove me and compelled me was: FEAR! Fear of what you may ask, well, here's the list:

fear of rejection
fear of failure
fear of shame
fear of success
fear of people's opinions
fear of self
fear of poverty
fear of authority
fear of loss
fear of punishment

I lived my life serving fear and allowing it to compel every action that I took. Now, some of those were subconscious but nonetheless, fear was what compelled me.

In my personal ministry session, that I mentioned in previous blogs, one of the many things we dealt with was the spirit of fear. Fear keeps us bound in so many ways, more than I have time to tell you about right now. But that Saturday, God broke that spirit of fear and that is no longer what compels me! 1 John 4:18 says,
 "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." His perfect love has cast out, driven out, that fear that kept me bound. And now, I can say that Christ's love truly does compel me! He loved me first and I get to reciprocate that love by living my life for Him! I get to love on people every day as a representative of His love! His love compels me!

So, what compels you? Ask God to show you. And I pray that you would come to this place that God has so recently brought me, allowing Christ's love to compel you and nothing else!