FCA ResourcesDevotional
Who Do You Do it For?
Ready
“To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment.” – Philippians 1:15-17
Set
Think about all the things you do in a day. What is the motivation behind your actions? When you get ready in the morning, who is that for? Why do you study for your tests and complete your homework? When you go to practice, who do you work hard for?
Often, our actions motivate us to please the world, not our Creator. Do you get ready in the morning to catch someone’s eye? Maybe you work hard at school or your job so that others know you are competent in hopes of gaining their respect. Perhaps you work hard at practice or even play your sport to gain your father’s approval. None of these provide you with the proper motivation to have long-term success.
Likewise, when you attend FCA meetings, what is your motivation? To impress others? Please your parents or spouse? Or are you genuinely going so that you can deepen your walk with the Lord? It’s hard to evaluate your true motivations in life. Often, if we feel like we are doing a good thing, like attending church or FCA, then it doesn’t matter why we go as long as we do.
This mindset produces only shallow results. Your relationship with the Lord will not deepen and grow if you are not pursuing God to be closer to Him. When we pursue Christ with pure intentions, we discover more about who God is and what He has in store for us.
Our eyes are open because our hearts are aligned with God. Wrong motivations distract us from truly seeing God; they lead us away from our Father and to the world that we are so desperate to please.
Go
- Who are you trying to please with your actions today?
- Where do you think it came from if you have a false motivation for your spiritual walk with God?
- In your prayer life, practice praising God for who He is and not requesting anything. This will align your heart to desire God.
Overtime
“Lord, we know that our hearts are full of sin and selfishness. We know we have false motivations and look to the world for our affirmation instead of seeking it from You. Forgive us, Lord. Align us back to You. Give us a desire to seek You over our worldly desires. Amen.”
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