Week Eleven: Driven vs Drawn. March 12
The soul that is impelled by love rests in God; she is not forced, for love draws her where she would go. St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Gregg’s Reflection
Have you ever examined the motivation for your ambition? I didn’t for 50 years. What’s driving you? God draws us, drivenness isn’t from God. Wade in with us into being drawn vs driven.
For the first fifty years of my life, I was driven — at work, at play, and even in my spiritual life. I carried the constant sense that I had to prove myself worthy. No level of success could quiet the inner voice that whispered, “You’re not good enough.” I drove myself hard and, without realizing it, I drove others the same way.
After selling the business, I attended my first workshop with Robert Fritz. There I discovered I had been living from a worldview of obligation rather than choice. That insight shifted something deep inside me. The energy behind my work and relationships began to change. But Fritz also challenged me with a piercing question: “Is that how your religion works?” I realized my striving wasn’t about proving myself to my long-dead father — it was about proving myself to God. I feared judgment, not grace.
Over the years, through prayer and spiritual practice, I have encountered a God of compassion — a God who draws rather than drives. This is a God who invites, rather than coerces. When we are drawn, our actions flow from love, not fear; from choice, not compulsion. Drivenness may still beckon, but I have learned to recognize its voice and instead follow the gentle pull toward what truly matters.
Scripture
Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — indeed only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.
Luke 10:40–42
Ancient Quotes
The soul is not made to run hither and thither, but to abide where the Spirit draws her. For when she yields to the gentle leading of God, she finds rest, not in toil but in love.
St. Gregory the Great, Homilies on Ezekiel, II.2.4
The soul that is impelled by love rests in God; she is not forced, for love draws her where she would go. It is not compulsion but desire that moves her, and in this movement she finds her peace.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83
Modern Quotes
What is it then to be ‘drawn’ if not to be united in an intimate way to the object that captivates our heart? I ask Jesus to draw me into the flames of his love, to unite me so closely to him that he lives and acts in me.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, p. 257
Grace never pushes; it always invites. God’s call comes not as demand but as desire, awakening our own longing for union with Him.
Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, ch. 8
The action of God on our lives is always, at its heart, experienced as a drawing. If we are feeling driven, then the prompting that gives rise to it is not from God, but from the force-fields of our own (or other people’s) kingdoms. Another useful test to apply to our moods is this: in a particular situation, am I feeling drawn, powerfully maybe, but always gently, or am I feeling driven?
Margaret Silf, Landmarks: An Ignatian Journey, p. 88
Journaling Prompts
- When you feel “driven,” what is usually motivating you underneath?
- How do you discern between God’s gentle drawing and the push of fear or obligation?
- Where in your life could you choose love over fear this week?
- What helps you slow down enough to hear God’s invitation?
👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 11 Reflection: Driven vs Drawn