Motives

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." Matthew 6:5

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." Matthew 6:16

All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the lord. Proverbs 16:2

This Wednesday, we are praying about our motives. Many times, people have hidden motives in the things they do. It may be passive aggression or it may seem manipulative. Sometimes it may be so hidden that the person doesn't even realize they have ulterior motives. So this week, we are praying that we understand our motives and that these motives are in line with God's will. A couple appropriate questions to ask:

1. Am I doing this to be a blessing to that person or am I doing it to make them think I am quite the blessing?
2. Am I doing this to show my love for them or am I trying to get them to love me - keeping score?
3. Am I sharing this truth with them to ultimately make them a better person or am I pointing out a shortcoming to make myself feel better by comparison?
4. Am I sharing this information in a genuine effort to help this person or do I just like the feeling of gossiping?

Ultimately, is God's love at the heart of my motives or is my own selfish self running the show? Being in God's will is both the actions that we take as well as the reasons that we undertake them. Remember, it's possible to be doing the right things for the wrong reasons and it's possible to be doing the wrong things for the right reasons.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob