Saying no to strivenness

Not sure how it's spelt but I think I just made it up so I don't think I can be corrected.

A few weeks ago I noticed how I can easily enslave myself to striving and drivenness. I came to recognise a pattern in my life, where given some time to myself I'd fill it up with a list of things I "had" to do. I'd get to the end of that time exhausted and think that what I really needed was to relax and get renewed. Drivenness took the joy out of things. I'd do something that I didn't really need to do because I thought I should. I'd struggle through with frustration and not enjoy it at all.

Strivenness is an awful motivator.

I came to a point one evening and said no to striving and being driven in those situations. I took it easy, happy not to get anything done particularly. I've since noticed that I've been more relaxed generally with the way I've used my time. I haven't felt subject to have-tos that really aren't. I thank God because I think He set me free from something in my heart.

This lack of contentment and joy, and a sense of striving and drivenness can mess with our hearts. I can think of many times I have served others from this place and really I have been searching for some kind of fulfillment in my heart. Where being fulfilled in my Father's love I can do things out of the overflow of His life, from my heart.

I have recently been again impressed by Jesus and the way He seemed to be so secure and so different to our own culture of drivenness. He limited His time with the crowd so that He could spend time on His own with Father God. He didn't do anything to promote Himself or drum up business - He actively sought to keep many miracles quiet. Jesus didn't worry about impressing people or building momentum in His ministry. No strivenness there at all.

Any thoughts?

Impressing Jesus

The main variable for impressing or disappointing Jesus is our faith.

Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith in His hometown and with His disciples on many occasions. At other times He was impressed with people's faith and credited to them for righteousness and healing, such as the Centurion.

Jesus was never impressed by good behaviour or shocked at poor behaviour either (although self-righteousness and it's fruit obviously got right under His skin). Of course, Jesus made it very clear that sin is our problem. His teaching shows us that we could never perform well enough to pass any tests on that front. Our only hope is to believe in Him and His righteousness. Indeed sin is a fruit of our lack of faith. And our idea that we can perform well actually destroys our connection with Him perhaps more than anything else.

I have certainly failed when it comes to sin. I have also fallen short in the area of self-righteousness for that matter. Unfortunately I have also failed miserably when it comes to faith. But I thank Jesus that He is so willing to accept me as I believe in Him, that my mustard seed of faith in Him is grounds for my forgiveness and salvation.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

I'm so glad that faith is such a key to impressing our Lord Jesus. Our human efforts at achieving right behaviour will fall short; but righteousness itself is a fruit of faith. Believe right then be empowered to behave right.

Love to know your thoughts.