What is Your Motivation?
by Kate Davies
When it was on the TV, I very much enjoyed watching the programme ‘Child Genius’. I was interested not only in the incredible academic ability of all the children taking part, but also in what motivated them to enter and put in the hours of study needed to simply compete. It was the two finalists who intrigued me most. The little boy was driven to succeed for the prestige it would bring for him and his parents. But the girl, who finally won, had a greater goal. She wanted to prove that girls were just as good at maths and science as boys. She had a goal greater than herself to work for.
As a Christian, my motivation should be to see God’s kingdom come on earth by fulfilling the Great Commission, definitely a goal greater than myself. But how often am I motivated only to the extent of succeeding for myself and my loved ones? This motivation can, as the boy who came second showed, (a great achievement I could never have done), get you a long way, but not all the way.
As the verse for today says, we’re called to ‘run the race marked out for us’, but what is our motivation to keep the running when things get tough? Are we motivated by ‘doing only what we see the Father doing’, or are we motivated to do just enough to guarantee our own comfort?
When we’re motivated by more than our own needs, we can achieve great things. This got me thinking what could be accomplished for the Kingdom if each of us, as Christians, lived motivated by what we could do to bring more of God’s Kingdom here on earth. Whether you have the gift of teaching, or compassion, and whether you think your talents are big or small, there’s something you can bring to the table. If you ask God to be your motivation, and to inspire you, He’ll bring to the fore what He wants you to do. But, above all, let God be your inspiration.
Prayer: Father God, let all the worries of my day-to-day life drop away as I become more inspired by You. Let me know Your will for my life, and how I can work towards seeing Your will done in my life, and over all the earth. Amen.
Kate Davies Kate joined the team at Ellel Grange in October 2017. She has a heart for binding up the broken-hearted, and seeing the captives freed. Originally a social worker, she is passionate to see families restored and children fulfilling their potential. She also enjoys being outdoors, riding, skiing, crafts and drinking tea.
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