Daily, what fuels our actions are the reasons for which we do them. These are our motives. Many times we carry out stuff knowing we have all the wrong reasons for doing them and still do so anyways. Why? Because the world can only see what is on the outside, and so to many of us, that is all that matters. After all, who can deny the fact that people generally praise more the innovations and acts of good will they see than the ones they are not privy to.
This mindset is what has turned a majority of us into nothing more than 'people pleasers' and 'praise seekers'. It is also what makes us want to show to others even the things the Lord might have told us to keep hidden because of our need to prove a point.
We feel in us, the need to be given the acknowledgement we deserve. It hurts when we think people do not know the extent of our prowess or diligence in the things we do and so innately we see ourselves seeking to prove a point. To show them that we are more than their estimations. To show that we can't be understood or played for fools. To see them look upon us with admiration and a sense of awe. The need to experience that pushes most of us– is the true fuel for our actions. And if we would only admit it to ourselves, we would see that at the root of it all is a push to glorify self and our own 'achievements'.
This however, should not be the case. For believers, the basis of our way of living is 'as unto God', for all things are laid bare before Him. It is a feat in itself to come to the great realisation that all that matters are the opinions of God concerning your actions– concerning you. But the blessedness of this feat is the fact that our realisation is God-enabled.
El-Roi– the God who sees, is the discerner of the intentions of the heart, and when we do things outside of the need to please Him– outside of love, He not only sees this, but His heart bleeds as a result.
The way of life a child of God has come into is one above the pleasures and encomiums of this world– we do not run after them, but pant after something greater– the delight of the Father.
So, when we allow our motives be things other than what He desires and requires, we find ourselves belittling the life we now enjoy and causing hurt to the lover of our souls.
A way to always check our motives and reorient ourselves on what acts as fuel for the actions we do is to have regular, consistent 'heart-searches'. Being able to for yourself, bare your heart before God. Causing His word and love to bring to light the thoughts and desires of our hearts is the first step to realising our motives and changing them if they aren't what they're meant to be. Be ready and open enough to ask yourself certain questions: "What was my reason for doing what I just did?", "What had I hoped I would achieve by doing this?"
The next step would be acknowledging the state of your motives; whether they are right or they are wrong. When we are able to truthfully admit to ourselves the reasons for things we do, we have gone a stage further in re-orienting our hearts and minds on what should motivate it, and this we also do by His word and love.
Finally, through His influence we after acknowledging our motives and reasons should either maintain it(if His Spirit convinces us of it being right) or do away with it, and receive by His Spirit what our true motive should be for every action we take.
let us always remember this fact– We are loved and never alone, tenderly being nurtured by the one who bought us with the most precious of all He possessed.
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