A Story of Hidden Agendas that Aren't so Hidden

Daniel Pink tells a story in his book What Color is Your Parachute of his wife, Carol, a career counselor.  Carol had a client named George.  George had worked in the rubber industry for years and came to Carol for some help.  George explained on the first session that he wanted to get out of the rubber business.  In response, Carol gave George some homework and sent him on his way till their next session.


At the next session, George showed up with not one lick of his homework completed.  Carol looked at George, and point-blank asked him, "George, noticing that you haven't done this work, I have to ask: what will happen if you don't get out of the rubber industry?"  George answered back, "My wife will divorce me."  Carol, not missing a beat, asked, "George, do you want your wife to divorce you?"  
George just smirked.  He then shared with Carol that what he really wanted was a divorce, and that he would never change his job until he got that done first.  George's real agenda had nothing to do with a job, but everything to do with a divorce.  Because of that, he would never change.


People won't change unless they want to.  No amount of external prompting or orthodox teaching can affect someone to change if they do not desire to change.  For instance, there is a young man I know who swears till he's blue in the face that he would give anything to quit smoking.  But every time someone else lights a cigarette around him, he lights one up too.  He still buys pack of cigarettes, but always tells people that he's quitting; like this is his "last" pack, or that he only smokes when he drinks.  He claims to want to change, but his actual agenda is to feed his addiction.


There are many verses that speak to the need to put God first in our lives.  In fact, it could be said that the whole of Scripture is focused on this very thing.  Our sanctification is at stake.  We will never be able to transform by the renewal of our minds and the regeneration of our hearts if we do not want to. Because of this, we should check ourselves for any underlying sinful agendas that would distract us or inhibit our growth.  Let us then strip ourselves of agendas that hinder so as to come closer to God by His will!