Our motivations are what drives our lives.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
I’ve had some interesting experiences in my life with many different types of people. The one thing I can put my finger on in every single person I’ve met is what drives them. Some people are driven by addiction; that next high from drugs, alcohol, food, shopping, or sex. Others I’ve met are driven by adrenaline; the next big event or outing. Some are driven by greed and money; the next business deal that will bring the next paycheck. Some are driven by hate, anger, and bitterness. They want everyone around them to pay for the pain they are in or that they think someone else caused them. Regardless of what we are driven by we must get to the place in which we are driven by something more pure.
By far, the people that intrigue me the most are the ones that are driven by the most powerful force on earth. Love. The list goes on of people who intrigue me and make me want to be more like Jesus.
The importance of being motivated by love is paramount to our lives. When we serve our children or our spouse out of love it purifies our motives. It gets us above the life of “tit-for-tat” and a “point system” that regards acts of service or amounts of money as equals to love. Those may be how we show love but that aren’t love. Love is the force of God. It is the life of God.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. -1 John 4:16 NIV
Love is what kept Jesus on the cross. It was the great motivator for our Savior and it should be for us. If you are into making someone pay or taking from everyone around you, then you aren’t living in love and your motivation is sinful. Jesus brought us into a New Testament theology, regarding our hearts and motivations as what keeps us in right standing before God, not our behavior. Our hearts, thoughts, motivations, and inward life is what God wants to change and purify. These are what drives our behavior. Our inward condition is what determines our exterior exhibition.
The greatest motivation in our lives should be love. So how’s your heart?
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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!
Thank you for your words this morning. My day got of to a rough start and i was feeling sorry for myself. After reading your devotion I realized how selfish I am. It’s not about me…. it’s all about Him and His love. My wife bit my head off first thing this morning, really for no reason, and I wanted to fire back. Then I read your words and my whole attitude changed. She just called (she had a doctor’s appointment and made her insult as she was walking out the door.) and I was very calm, loving and patient with her. Love is much better than conflict. Thanks again. You helped to mold my heart for the day by sharing His word!!
Good job John! It’s His love that helps shape us!
I am so grateful when I have a opportunity to witnesses love reveal itself. Not long ago, I was journaling along this same train of thought. In my stillness, I asked the question ; Lord how did I fail at real Love in my previous relationships?? The answer came to me saying it was because you did not understand, accept , and embrace the love I created you to be!!! Wow was the only response l could muster up. Moreover, the answer to your question today is ,I am not only what I think. I am what I was formed in,filled with and function out of. Likewise , I truly believe our inward condition is what determines our exterior exhibition. I must thank you for this share because it further demonstrates the world is our university and everything and everyone are our teachers. When we learn from our painful and frustrating experiences we become the light in the matters of the heart and journey back to our most purest form.( LOVE) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them
Great post. It really gave me some perspective. Often times my motivations are sinful. Or if they are pure intentions fear sometime stops me in my tracks.