A Motive Check

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bez10B2zXM

Pastor: Jonathan Murrell

As you go through life, you are building a decision-making process. You have narrowed down your choices the more things you’ve tried.  And the more you’ve practiced those choices, the more permanent they’ve become. When you become a believer, everything changes. Including how you make decisions. Our desire should be to build a decision-making process that glorifies God. The more we practice how to make wise decisions, the more permanent it becomes…

Today, we’re adding to that process: Checking our motivations.

Proverbs 16:2

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.

By instinct, humans rationalize themselves into innocence. We can make ourselves feel good about any decision. Deceive ourselves. But God accurately measures the true intentions of our heart. So before you make decisions, ask God to help check your motivations. As we go through these, one might hit you, all three might.  But be honest with yourself and God. Don’t let your natural instinct to justify yourself kick in.

1. Selfishness

Selfishness is when your decisions go through a cost benefit analyst. And if the end result benefits you, you’re in. If not, you’re out. The focus is on you. “What do I gain out of this?”

Philippians 2:3

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

We have this massive spotlight on ourselves… “My wants and needs!” How do we take the focus off of us and point them towards others? The antidote to selfishness is Christ. If anyone had the right to be selfish, it was Jesus. But He wasn’t. He gives us the greatest example to live an unselfish life. God first. Others second. It’s woven through Scripture. Study it. Live it.

2. Fear

Many Christians live with a constant fear of rejection or failure. You have analysis paralysis. Fear of other people’s opinion about you. So you avoid making ANY decision and do what’s comfortable and controllable.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

God doesn’t want us to go through life scared to make decisions. Walk with power, love, and self-control. There’s a confidence we carry. Believers are a new creation. God puts in us a new spirit. And it’s not fearful. In Matthew 10, Jesus sends the disciples to nearby towns. Jesus didn’t direct them to everyone who would accept. That’d be easy. Pick yourself up and move to another town. Rejection happens in life.

God directs you when you’re moving. It’s like steering a car. Turning the wheel doesn’t matter if there’s no movement. As you try things, God navigates. Hard to do if you never take any steps of faith. God wants His children to go through life with confidence. Not because we’re confident in ourselves, but we’re confident in God. He will direct us as we’re moving through life in steps of faith.

3. Christian Virtue Signaling

When you get into any kind of community, you start to figure it out. Use your social IQ to figure out how to “play the game.” And your decision-making process molds to that community’s values. There’s an instinct to blend in and stand out. Blending in and standing out happens in Christian circles and churches. Are you doing those things to be noticed and praised by others?

Matthew 15:8

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

You can fool your community… But you can’t fool God. God sees right through your words and actions. Beware of blending in or standing out to impress others. The motivation to look and act Christian is dangerous. It can work its way into our decisions without notice.

The best and purest motivation is, “I want to please God”

Colossians 1:1

that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God

I want to move through life making decisions so I grow closer to God. “I want to make Him proud.” I want to make Him proud because I’m so thankful. God has done so much for me. Given me everything I need. Most importantly sending His Son Jesus to die on a cross. But even more! It’s overwhelming when you start to count your blessings. And I want to make God proud because I love Him. We love God because He’s done so much for us. But also just because of who He is. He’s incredible.

Does a single-minded pursuit of pleasing God motivate your decisions? Does God’s opinion of your decisions matter the most? More than family or friends or the world’s logic… even yourself. We can live a life pleasing to God with our decisions. And when we do that, our life is full and vibrant and beautiful.

1 Thess 2:4

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.