What's My Motivation?

If you are a parent you are probably used to to your children asking you why. Children have an insatiable desire to know why. Sometimes this is simply an act of defiance, an attempt to avoid doing the work they don’t want to do. But more often than not this question is rooted in a genuine attempt to understand. Children do not comprehend the world and need someone to explain it to them. Along with that children want to know that what they are doing has some genuine purpose, they want to know that what they are doing means something.

As adults we also ask why. We too want to find purpose and meaning in what we do; I would go so far to argue that this is because of the fact that we were created in the image of God and are part of a purposeful and meaningful creation. But sometimes it is difficult to discern meaning and purpose. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that what we are doing has any real value at all. We might be in a job that is less than satisfying and we want to know if there is any real value aside from the pragmatic importance of putting food on the table. We might have children that we repeatedly correct for the same offense and wonder if all of our efforts are truly worth it. Our life might be limited by illness or disability. And this list could go on and on. So we come back to the question of why. What is the purpose? Does my life have any value or meaning?

In 1 Corinthians 10:31 the apostle Paul declares:

“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

What Paul is saying is that the glory of God is an end in and of itself, and that all we do to that end has lasting and eternal value and meaning. To live in light of this great truth frees us from the self-imposed search for meaning and reminds us that our purpose is found in our union with Christ who has restored us to fellowship with God and has given our life real significance.

In all that you have been called to do, do it all to the glory of God. This is where meaning is found. This is where your purpose is revealed.