Guest Blogger...Ava Semerau

What's Your Motivation? By Ava Semerau


Awhile back, I decided to run a marathon, well at least train to run a marathon. You should know, I am not a runner. I love to walk and will occasionally even trot, but running...no, I am not a runner. So, deciding to run a marathon was a pretty big deal.

My motivation was simple: I needed to get in shape. I needed to lose weight. In order to do that, I needed to have a concrete, measurable physical goal and running a marathon seemed to fit the bill.

When I told my husband I'd decided to run a marathon he was a bit taken back, but quickly recovered and suggested I contact a personal trainer for some help. It was a great idea.

One of the first things Marni did was sit down with me and talk about motivation. Why did I want to run a marathon? What did I want out of the experience and the effort?

If it was only about getting in shape, she assured me, there were easier ways of going about it - especially for a non-runner like me. But if it was the sense of accomplishment completing a marathon brings, then I was spot on. Or even if I was motivated by bragging rights or had a passion for tough challenges, then running a marathon was a good option.

At the end of our first meeting, Marni looked me in the eye and said, "you need to think about motivation before you can think about training."

Training to run a marathon is a grueling experience, she told me, mentally, physically and emotionally. Without the proper motivation - and enough of it - I would fail.

Turns out I had the wrong motivation. The idea of pushing myself to the point of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion wasn't all that appealing, and neither was being able to say I'd run 26.3 miles without collapsing. I just wanted to get in shape and lose some weight!

Determining motivation requires honesty, thoughtful effort and accurate thinking, whether we're talking about running a marathon or pleasing God. But when we know what motivates us - why we do the things we do - we're able to move forward with confidence.

And that confidence allows us to seek God's help.

James tells us that when we ask with the right motive, God will answer. He will shower us with blessings and abundance. He will move mountains on our behalf.

But, when we ask with wrong motives - when what we want isn't for the glory of God but for our own glory or to satisfy lusts - then blessings are few and far between.

You do not have, because you do not ask God, says James. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:2-3 NIV)

Next time something doesn't go your way or it doesn't seem like God is listening, think about the motivation behind your request. Was it pure and worthy of God or was it something else?

Were you like Absolom, seeking popularity? (2 Sam. 15:1-6)

Were you motivated by pride like Simon? (2 Sam. 15:1-6)

Were you like the mother of Zebedee's sons, motivated by prestige and status (Matthew 20:20-21) or like Ahab who was motivated by greed? (I Kings 21)

Maybe you were motivated by pleasure like Solomon. (Ecclesiastes. 2:1-11)

No matter how much time and effort we put into something, no matter how much we might want it, we will always fall short and never truly succeed unless and until our motive is pure.

When what we do and why we do it is focused on pleasing God, when our motivation is to honor Him in all things, then we can seek God’s blessings, confident of success.


AVA

Ava's latest release And God Was Pleased, encourages and inspires others to think of success in terms of pleasing God more. For more information on And God Was Pleased, including excerpts and order information, visit Ava's Web site at http://agwpblog.blogspot.com/or email her at avasemerau(at)gmail.com

posted by Margaret McSweeney @ 11:45 AM