Honest question…When I do what I do-Why do I do what I do?
Really, have you EVER spent a day
asking yourself that simple question? I
think the Lord is fine tuning me once again which is good because finding
contentment here on Earth is not something to strive for and the truth is I
NEVER will find it here. I am feeling challenged to take note of my motives
during each day.
Time? It really is something you can’t buy. Not
even Donald Trump has enough money to buy more time. So the question I ask myself is, do I utilize
my time to fulfill HIS bigger picture?
Am I showing my family, my friends and strangers around me the real
Christ? The one who washes dirty nasty
feet, mingles with the lost, comforts the sick, encourages those in need, finds
joy in all things, makes time to serve others including family members. The key question is- do the things I do point
back to me- or the Lord? Leading to my next question, what are MY motives?
In the daily grind do
I add building blocks into others lives or am I chipping away at what they have
already built? When I lay my head to
rest at night do I hear, “Good Job well
and faithful servant!” Or am I still
trying to figure out how many people saw my latest FB post and liked it. I fall into both categories! I am far from perfect, some day’s listening
well to the whispers from above and others falling prey to worldly commotion. What are MY motives to the following
questions: Why am I speeding? Why am I
checking my phone…again? Why did I text
and drive? Why did I join a new Bible
study? Why did I drop a meal off to a
friend? Why am I short with my answers
to the ones I love? I am human, the
answer to many of those questions are because I am impatient, selfish and seek
praise from others BUT the answer to some are to honor Jesus and to serve with
no recognition in return. This is not a
topic I want to be balanced in; I want
the scale to be completely weighted in God’s favor. In John
3:30 it says, “He must become greater, I must become less.” The smaller I become the BIGGER He becomes,
my motivation in ALL things becomes much less about ME but about GOD.
To be a bit
transparent I can be selfish (Surprise-Surprise!) which by the dictionary’s
terms is being concerned
chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure. Although, my achievements
might look like success, they are certainly different tasks I have tackled
ending in some sort of dusty trophy.
Ending in dust because the motives
weren’t rooted in Christ and if the motives aren’t rooted in Christ then
its NEVER going to last OR if it is lasting peace may be lacking. When I serve myself I will NEVER be serving
my purpose! In the looking glass of
my past I see how I picked up photography with the right motives-learn to take
professional pictures of my children-and save money while I am at it. The motives were pure until I allowed the
praise to determine my worth and the money clouded my judgment on time
management. Although I found much joy as a photographer, it wasn’t the right time for me; it was not the place
the Lord needed me to be clocking time! And so I caused our home life to be
filled with unneeded hurdles. Christ did
not drive my motives in that season-I was listening to me! Just because the Lord gives me talent and
passion for something doesn’t always mean I have to act on it at that exact moment
in time. His timing is absolute.
I wish I had a
mirror like the Evil Queen had in Snow White, or maybe the same kind of mirror
Belle carried in Beauty and the Beast but in this fairy tale it replayed images
of me through out my day or week giving me pictures of REAL life encounters. I
would be able to see how I acted, reacted, my facial expression and I could
watch my decision making process. I need to live life everyday like a football
player on the field, knowing I had to go to the field house the next day to
watch film over my each move. Yikes, would my motives start to tweak!
Ultimately, I should
do what I do because I serve an all-knowing
God who has given me an AWESOME purpose.
If I stay in His word and in constant prayer he guides me every single
day, my motives come from Him and not from myself. I become less while He becomes much more! Satan completely and
utterly enjoys it when I get all wrapped up in myself, my own worries, anxious
behaviors, worldly pursuits, debilitating me in so many ways that I can’t see
past my own nose. When my motives come from Christ it fills my cup with an overflow-love,
wisdom, discernment, direction, purpose, focus, etc. In Matthew 12:34 it talks about, “For out of
the overflow the mouth speaks.” It continues in the following verse to explain
where good is stored up good comes out and where evil is stored-evil comes out;
therefore selfish motives will always be brought to light! I ask myself, where
are my motives coming from-Me? Or Him? I need to let Him use me His way.
Lord, please give me the heart to do all things for you and
not for myself. Please give me the
ability to change my ways when they
are not. Amen
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