“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
One of the most powerful things we can do is improve the quality of our objectives. Since we obey our conscience only when we are sufficiently motivated to do so, our motivation should be as energetic as possible. But mainly the strength and effectiveness of our motivation increases when we move towards higher and nobler objectives. Purpose is the key to motivation. Therefore the improvement of our objectives is a matter of utmost practical importance. Whatever the reasons that motivate us to do good now, personal growth requires more than believing more strongly in those reasons. We have to find some other, higher cause.
Specifically, we must become people whose hearts are less and less self-centered. If we are not driven more by the desire to get what we want and by the desire to avoid what we don’t want, our motivation will ultimately fail us. In the most difficult moments, selfish motives (no matter how “noble”) are not strong enough to lead us to right conduct.
The purest and most powerful motive we can have is the true love of God. When Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), he did not just mean that those who love him are expected to keep his commandments, although that is certainly true. Jesus was also teaching that we must love Him key To follow his orders. Only when we act in love will we find that His commandments are “not a burden” (1 John 5:3). There is no other motive strong enough to move us steadily toward obedience.
And so we must step out of ourselves and attend to concerns that are much broader and “dynamic” than the rise and fall of our own happiness. To a large extent, this is what growth toward spiritual maturity is all about. It is learning to live according to the strong laws of love. We must live not according to the laws of selfishness disguised as love, but according to the laws of genuine upward love. When our health rises to the point where our spirits are truly turned upward, we will discover a strength we never knew existed when we were consumed by selfishness.
“The spiritual health of a man is exactly in proportion to his love for God” (CS Lewis).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
