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Called or Driven? There's a Difference

There have been times that I thought God was silent.  But looking back it was me not listening because I was preoccupied with being as productive as possible!  Can you relate? Isn’t being highly productive in our culture the path to great success?  And achievement is good, unless somehow we get the idea that what we achieve is who we are, or that it determines our value and justifies our existence.  

Are you your job?  Is work the great driving force in your life?  Does the lack of productivity bring you frustration (even for a couple of hours or a day) and cause you to feel bad about yourself?

Think through what you’re currently working hard to achieve.  Hard work is good, but why are you doing it?  Is it to prove yourself?  Is it because of your competitive drive to be the best? Or are you working hard for the glory of God?  

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:23-24).

A closer look: there is a difference between being called and driven!  

Driven people are highly busy and they see that as a sign of success or significance.  They don’t tend to enjoy their work but love the results!  Guilt is often their motivation in what they do.  

Those who are called have learned to feel the freedom of being in the will of God, where they can experience the whole process and not simply the results. They are often less competitive than others, and they can give themselves permission to fail.  Sounds crazy right?  The irony is in the end this freedom to fail often results in greater accomplishment.

Serving God in what He has called us to has the potential to bring great joy!  God blesses hard work, however when our achievements become something else they can become toxic.  “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).  A clear warning for those of us who can become busy for the wrong reason(s). 

An MCHA Stop~n~Think - 02.13.2026 - Courtesy of  MCHA Ministry Coordinator Tim Chastain