David Yarbrough
2 Corinthians 5:14
For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died.
What does it mean to be compelled by the love of Christ? In the Bible, the word "compel" refers to a strong force that stirs someone into action. A bulldozer can be an instrument of destruction or construction, depending on the operator. It is the intention of the one sitting at the controls that determines the outcome.
Imagine, if you will, a seasoned dozer operator approaching an overgrown, underappreciated piece of land that is stubbornly rough and uneven. He sees beyond the rough terrain and raw chaos and envisions the possibilities of a place that could blossom with beauty and potential. Through the power of the dozer under his skilled hand, he can bring transformation to the once useless piece of land.
At times, trials and tribulations wreak havoc in our lives, pushing down trees and disrupting the very foundation of our status quo. It can seem like things are getting worse rather than better. But that is the initial pain of transformation. God will allow trials and tribulations in our lives to tear down our old selves, uprooting destructive sins that are deep within us and shaking us to the very core of our being. It can seem destructive, disorienting, and confusing. But God always has a Kingdom purpose in it all.
Jesus always sees the transformational potential in your life. He has a vision of the beautiful creation He is shaping you into. At times, Jesus will bring the bulldozer of conviction against the deeply rooted trees of sin, pride, and selfishness that grow in your hearts. He will begin by gently bumping against them, alerting you that they have been marked for removal. Through this conviction, He gives you space for confession and repentance, thus making the removal less painful and destructive. If you choose not to join Him in the extraction of your sin, then He may rev up the power, bringing in more force to uproot the sins that are destroying you.
Once these sins have been removed and pushed out of the way, there is now a new, clean foundation for Jesus to begin the construction of the Kingdom within your heart. The Kingdom of God is not just a static reality; it is an irresistible force nudging you and at times compelling you into the action of joining God and His Kingdom purposes. When the Kingdom of God is expanding in your heart, you will be filled with the empowerment to carry out assignments beyond your own strength and natural abilities.
We see this truth in Ephesians 3:20 (CSB), “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.” Kingdom advancement is not according to your power but by means of Christ’s power working in and through you. Spreading the Kingdom of God is not something you can attribute to personal accomplishment. It's not something you can boast about or be proud of in and of yourself, because it is God's work.
Remember the next time the bulldozer of conviction bumps against the trees of sin in your life that Jesus is alerting you that He has come to remove the destructive work in your heart that is preventing Kingdom expansion. Sin removal is always painful, but once sin has been removed, the pain cannot be compared to the joy, peace, and freedom you will experience from your position and identity in Christ. Your heart can become an instrument of Kingdom expansion, influencing the world around you for the glory of God.