Sometimes before we can develop a hankering for a higher taste, however, we need a push. When Srila Prabhupada was asked to define guru-kripa, he pushed his disciple's chest with his finger and said, "This is guru-kripa." That push gives us inspiration to aspire for something higher than what we already know. The spiritual master's mercy is his application of force through his instructions.
Lectures from a Disciple, Vol. 2, "The Process for Awakening Bhakti"