Motivation

Why do we do what we do? What is the goal or purpose that our actions try to achieve or fulfill? There are always short-term motivations: we eat because we are hungry; we sleep because we are tired. But if we continue eating after we are no longer hungry, what is the reason? If we continue to stay in bed after we wake up, what is the purpose? 

What about our long-term goals? Where do they take us? Are they moving us in the direction of God's throne, shedding our personal goals and accepting the goals of our Savior and Master? Or does the direction of our long-term desire gradually move us away from "outside" influence and paint a picture of us standing on our own two feet, making decisions and choices based on our own wisdom and experience?

In many cases, the dreams and goals and desires we carry in our heart are neither good nor bad. It is the motivation behind what we do that makes the difference. I can let someone into traffic in front of me, but am I doing it because I am motivated by God's love for a stranger I don't know, or am I motivated by a sense of how righteous I am and how many "good works" I do? If I clean up a mess at work that a co-worker left, that action is commendable, but do I experience any spiritual growth from it? I will if I am doing it as unto the Lord, but I won't if I am looking over my shoulder to see if my boss is noticing what an extraordinary employee I am. If I clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes, do I do it because it is a way I can give my wife some rest after all the hard work she has done, or do I do it to "show her" how much harder I work around the house than her, hoping to "teach her a lesson"?

Matthew 7
v.21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 
v.22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 
v.23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Some actions have only one purpose behind them, but they are few. Most of what we do can be motivated by many different purposes, and sometimes by several. But it is in our heart that we know what purpose is behind the action we take. As we go through the day, stay in prayer, converse with God, carry the Word with you, speak it back to Him who is the Word made flesh, commune with Him through the Spirit who is given to us, and let the light of God's life illuminate our motivation. God sees the heart, and will judge us by it. We cannot see into others' hearts and so can only judge ourselves, not others.

O Lord, we desire to be moved and motivated by Your love in all we do and say. We lay our pride and our rights and our very lives before You as a sacrifice to You, knowing that You are able to fill us and move us and shape us to the image of our Savior, Your Son whom You love, our Lord Jesus. We ask that You accept our praise through our words, our thoughts, and our actions today as we seek to walk and talk and act in ways that are pleasing and acceptable to You. Thank You for Your Spirit that accompanies us to lead us, guide us, direct us, correct us, convict us, and bring us safely to the truth of Your Word and the enfolding of Your love.

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