This question has been running through my mind a lot lately and last weekend I discussed it with youth group.
Motivation is something that seems to change often. It can change each day or even for each event. For example, your motivation for working out or dieting is probably different than your motivation for what to do today.
My real question is what SHOULD our motivation be? And can we have two?
If we're Christians, our motivation should constantly be to glory God in all that we do. That's easier said than done! But there's a lot of verses about it, so it must be important!
Proverbs 3:6 says that in ALL our ways acknowledge Him. Hebrews 12 tells us to run the race "fixing our eyes on Him". 1 Corinthians says "whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
The idea is repeated over and over so obviously God knew that we constantly needed to be reminded of this.
Why? Why is it so hard to live our lives for the One who died for us?
We could blame sin nature or the media but bottom line the issue is just plain us.
I watched a movie the other day where a man chose to live for money rather than pursue to be a preacher. Yeah, he became rich and had a nice car and he seemed happy. But when he got the chance to see how life would be without his money, he saw what he had given up.
Just stop and think for a moment. What gives you more satisfaction? Living a day focused on money or living a day focused on God? That question may be harder for some than others.
Right now I have medical bills, wedding stuff and other money issues. Yes, it stresses me out! But when I stop and put my daily efforts to simply living for God, the stresses lessen. Do they disappear? No. Does God send money raining from the sky? No. Do the medical bills magically get paid? No. But do I feel more successful? Yes. Do I feel at peace? Yes. Do I trust that everything will work out? Yes.
Along with the medical bills, I've had a couple decisions that were hard to make. Right now my deductible is met. I was thinking about having a surgery. No one knows whether the surgery would help or not. I had to step back and think about what my motivation was. Was it because I wanted the headache gone so bad that I'd do anything? Was it because right now I virtually wouldn't be paying for the surgery but after I'm married I'll have different insurance so then I will be? Or was it because I truly felt that God was leading me down this path? I decided against surgery and have complete peace.
Have you seen the movie Courageous? If not, you should! That is especially true if you have a family or plan to have one someday. There's a part of that movie that relates more than that first movie I mentioned. It's still about motivation being money vs God but the guy isn't trying to get rich. He's just trying to provide.
This man is a husband and father. He's struggled with jobs and being laid off because the job is finished or he's the most recent hired. They struggle to buy food and just pay bills. Finally he gets a job that lasts and they are comfortable. (not rich but comfortable). His boss pulls him in the office and asks him to be the new shipment manager. BUT when a shipment comes in he is asked to lie about how many shipments came in. The boss makes it known that if he can't do this, he'll lose his job.
The man goes home and tells his wife. You can see how hard it is for them to keep their motivation on God. The wife says "I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back." And you can see on the man's face, how much he wants to just provide. But is he willing to lie? Is he willing to switch his motivation from God to money?
There are so many decisions we face where we decide to look to God or something else. It may not always be money.
I'll go back to working out. Is your motivation God? It could be. It could also be vanity. Do you work out so you look good? Or do you work out so you can feel good?
Earlier I asked if we can have two motivations. I think in certain cases we can but we need to be careful. Working out is one of them. Should we work out JUST so we look great? I'm not quite sure that that's glorifying to God. Maybe we can work out to feel great, look great and have more energy. That sounds more like it. We need to keep our vanity in check that's for sure! No matter what though, when we work out, we should be looking to God. We should be doing it for His glory. That should still be our main motivation and focus! Then there can be another motivation below Him.
Colossians 3 is a wonderful chapter about living for God and how that can benefit not only ourselves but others too. I'll just hit a couple verses. Verse 2 reads "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." We live on the earth so it's easy to live for things that are here. But we're told to live for things above. We need to live as if we're leaving this earth right now!
Verse 17 says "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus! That means our entire lives! And did you catch the last part? "Giving thanks!" Wow. That's a hard task, isn't it? I've had a headache for 9 years. How many times have I thanked God for it? At least I can say that I have at times, but everyday for the last 9 years? I'll admit I have not. But the verse says that in ALL I do, headache or not, I should do in His name, giving thanks!
Here's my favorite verse in this chapter. Verse 23. "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.." I'm self-employed so I don't have a boss. But I do have different daycare parents that I have to answer to on occasion. Am I working for them or God? Are you working for people or God? Sometimes our motivation gets messed up because we're worried about what others will think. We want to be liked in this world. There are some people that don't like Christians. And the Bible warns us that we will be persecuted for following Him.
So what really matters? Having people like us now or having God proud of us?
I'm not sure who you work for or what your situation is but for me, I know that if I'm living for God and not to please my daycare parents, that my daycare parents will be pleased. In other words, if I'm living with integrity and doing things God wants me to, I doubt my daycare parents will have a complaint. So why don't I focus on God rather than them? I should.
For some it may not be so cut and dry. Some are in a position like the guy in Courageous. They have to really make a distinct and firm decision to follow God no matter the cost.
Here's a wise statement that one of my youth group boys said. I can't remember exactly how he worded it but basically it was "We need to have God in front now, before bad things happen or tough decisions. God shouldn't just be there to fall back on. He should already be leading." Such wisdom from a teenager!
God isn't supposed to be our fall back guy. He's supposed to be our leader.
Verse 24 in Colossians 3 ends with "It is the Lord Christ whom you serve". We need to make sure that that is a true statement! Is it in your life?
Part of that goes back to verse 23. It said to do our work heartily. We shouldn't work and complain. We should do it with all our heart for God.
So.. we're to have God as our motivation. In ALL that we do, we should glorify Him. We should give thanks to him. And do everything with our whole heart, not complaining. Tall order? Yes. Should that stop us? No.
A music group that I grew up listening to has a song with these verses. The group is AVB and the song is "Work at it."
Read the words. Soak it in. And live it!!
| Commit to the Lord whatever you do And all of your plans will succeed In all of your ways acknowledge Him And He will take care of your needs So whatever you do whether work or play Give your best everyday Chorus: You've gotta work at it with all of your heart (with all of your heart) Work at it with all of your heart (That's workin not for man) As working for the Lord and not for man You've gotta work at it with all of your heart You work at your job, you work hard at school But the things of this life fade away But if you work for the Lord it is never in vain And he will guide your feet everyday So with His word in your heart and His love in your soul You can press on to the goal Repeat Chorus Anything that is worthwhile deserves your heart (You know that it deserves all your heart) If you will not give it all don't even start (Don't even start) Repeat Chorus (x2) Work at it with all of your Work at it with all of your Work at it with all of your heart. |
