Why We Do What We Do
January 6, 2021
January 6, 2021
We do things every day. We wake up, we eat (at least at some point in the day unless fasting), we go to work or school, we play games, we watch movies, we dance, we sing, we walk, we talk. There are so many things that we do in a day that if we were to make a detailed list, most of you would lose interest and stop reading. The point I am trying to make is that we do so many things every day, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself, "WHY"? The why explains our motives. I am sorry to tell you that there are motives behind your words and actions whether you are aware of them or not. Those who spend much time reflecting on their actions may already understand this and may even know their motivations, however are all of those motivations in line with your values?
Ultimately, I think we all would want to say that our motives lined up with our values. The difficult thing is that there are things that can influence our motivations so that they shift just a bit off course. Enough to make the end goal way off the mark, but not enough to notice at first. It is like a ship that is sailing. If the trajectory is even a bit off at the beginning of the trip and is not corrected, it could have the ship hundreds, maybe even thousands of kilometers (or miles) off course. The same is true about our motivations that drive our actions. YES I SAID DRIVE! Motives are in the driver's seat of our actions and if we do not keep an eye on that driver, we could end up in places we never wanted to be in.
This is where the values come in. We examine the motivation against our values, if it doesn't line up it is time to adjust motivations. I will give an example, one of my values is helping people. This value motivated me in the direction of going back to school to forward my education, it also motivated me to update the website and make it more user friendly. Additionally I was motivated to take on clients, however as COVID continued month after month, I became ill. I was sick for 6 weeks with a chest cold, not COVID. During this time my motivation shifted from helping others to just getting through the day. If I had kept my eyes on the value of helping others, I think those 6 weeks would have looked a lot different. I could have been texting people, or sending little encouragements. These little actions would have helped others and I would have felt emotionally better about the time I was sick. It took one influence to help me drift off course.
Sometimes it is hard to have a clear picture of our motives. 1 Thessalonians 2:4b - Our purpose is to please God not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. God knows the motives of our hearts and if we ask he will reveal it to us. In the verse Paul states that their value is to please God not people. God is the one that can let us know if we are starting to get off track. I was just starting to feel better physically when God showed me how far I had drifted. He helped me to see what happened and how to correct the course. God can do the same for you.
Personal Note: If you are reading this and thinking I do not know God, let alone let him examine the motives of my heart. I would encourage you, God loves you and wants you to reach out to him. He is always waiting with open arms for anyone who wants to find him. Jeremiah 29:11-13 - For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. God is waiting for you!
Ultimately, I think we all would want to say that our motives lined up with our values. The difficult thing is that there are things that can influence our motivations so that they shift just a bit off course. Enough to make the end goal way off the mark, but not enough to notice at first. It is like a ship that is sailing. If the trajectory is even a bit off at the beginning of the trip and is not corrected, it could have the ship hundreds, maybe even thousands of kilometers (or miles) off course. The same is true about our motivations that drive our actions. YES I SAID DRIVE! Motives are in the driver's seat of our actions and if we do not keep an eye on that driver, we could end up in places we never wanted to be in.
This is where the values come in. We examine the motivation against our values, if it doesn't line up it is time to adjust motivations. I will give an example, one of my values is helping people. This value motivated me in the direction of going back to school to forward my education, it also motivated me to update the website and make it more user friendly. Additionally I was motivated to take on clients, however as COVID continued month after month, I became ill. I was sick for 6 weeks with a chest cold, not COVID. During this time my motivation shifted from helping others to just getting through the day. If I had kept my eyes on the value of helping others, I think those 6 weeks would have looked a lot different. I could have been texting people, or sending little encouragements. These little actions would have helped others and I would have felt emotionally better about the time I was sick. It took one influence to help me drift off course.
Sometimes it is hard to have a clear picture of our motives. 1 Thessalonians 2:4b - Our purpose is to please God not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. God knows the motives of our hearts and if we ask he will reveal it to us. In the verse Paul states that their value is to please God not people. God is the one that can let us know if we are starting to get off track. I was just starting to feel better physically when God showed me how far I had drifted. He helped me to see what happened and how to correct the course. God can do the same for you.
Personal Note: If you are reading this and thinking I do not know God, let alone let him examine the motives of my heart. I would encourage you, God loves you and wants you to reach out to him. He is always waiting with open arms for anyone who wants to find him. Jeremiah 29:11-13 - For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. God is waiting for you!
