Honest Thoughts from a Pastor

As I woke up from my Sunday nap, I began to evaluate something – what is my motivation for what I do? My Monday thru Friday job? My interim church roles? Being a husband? A parent? Why do I do what I do?

That is a great question to ask yourself – Why do I do what I do? Is the paycheck my motivation? Am I simply duty-driven? Do I do what I do because I’m afraid of disappointing someone or making them angry?

The Apostle Paul said a lot about motivation. While I’m not a huge fan of paraphrases, here is Eugene Peterson’s wording of 1 Corinthians 13:1 in The Message: “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.” Right smack dab in the middle of a passage about spiritual gifts, Paul tells the Corinthian believers that their exercise of gifts is a waste if they don’t have love. (The modern church could benefit from this reminder.)

Love should be our motivation. What about that job with such menial and mundane tasks? It can be done with love. What about dealing with that coworker who is a thorn in your side? The love of God can be shed abroad in your heart to give His love to others.

Motivation is a powerful thing and a real game-changer. It is the difference between joy and dread. People are pretty good at seeing if your heart is in something. If your motivation is poor, that can change. Surrender your heart to God and allow Him to change your motivation. It won’t change overnight, but it will make a different in your life and the lives of others.