Do You Struggle with Motivation?

It starts small—a simple giving in to the flesh that is seemingly insignificant. It might seem to be very justified or even a reasonable reward for having made a significant effort. Ultimately, it comes down to a question of who or what is in charge. With laziness, with self indulgence, with those who seemingly have no motivation … the answer is the body.

It is a paradox. Those who seemingly have no desire … who have no motivation, actually have fed the desires of the flesh. The flesh becomes all consuming to the point where it wants everything for nothing. It wants but it is not even willing to make the effort to get. I want becomes I deserve. I deserve is covered with excuses and a sense of entitlement. And so it sits. Idle. Doing nothing. Wanting. A bit angry at the world. Needing. Sleeping. Hopeless. Done.

When love becomes the goal, love cannot be found. When giving love is the goal, receiving love becomes the norm. When meeting my desires becomes the goal, the end is an unmotivated heap. When doing what is right and best for the good of all is the goal, having a sense of needs met with contentment will be the result.

Living a motivated life is actually more a question of direction. When motivation becomes consumed with self and selfish desires, it eventually will plow itself deeper and deeper until it comes to complete halt. Satisfying self becomes an anchor that resists any and all attempts from others who would try to show love. It consumes but does not give back. It takes in, but is never satisfied.

The right direction is love. The right direction is being concerned with the good of the whole. Of course that means that there must be reasonable care for self. The mom and dad who put children first will soon lose their marriage. When there is a break up in a marriage, it is more damaging to the children than any good ever done by putting the children in a high place. If a person presses his service of others to a point where he becomes sick, he stops being a blessing and becomes a burden. Being concerned for the good of the whole also means being concerned with self in a right way and to a reasonable degree.

However, the right direction is generally death to self. I must put God first. Then others. Then me. I am last. That hurts. It feels like death. But in God’s Kingdom, it is life. If we truly put God first, He will tell us when to rest. He will tell us when to renew self. He will watch over our needs and take care of us. That is not our job. It is His job.

Our job is to focus on Him and others. To do anything else is to put self in charge. The outcomes of self being in charge is first excuses, then laziness, entitlement, and arrogance. Notice how these tendencies are intertwined in the following passage:

Proverbs 26:12-16

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The lazy man says, "There is a lion in the road!

A fierce lion is in the streets!"

As a door turns on its hinges,

So does the lazy man on his bed.

The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;

It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes

Than seven men who can answer sensibly. NKJV

The lazy person doesn’t generally think of himself as arrogant or entitled. In fact, most of the time those who are lazy tend to see themselves as being deprived of what they deserve. But if you struggle with being motivated to do life, you might want to take a look at how the Scriptures tie these character traits together. A little honesty might lead to a much better life.

The true blessings of life come out of a giving lifestyle. What is the direction of your life? Do you mostly satisfy self? Or do you live your life for God and others? Reload your motivation and live!