Understand Your Motives

Posted by Jay Overstreet on Oct 12, 2011 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

Human beings are unique in that we have the ability (within our minds) to step outside of ourselves and observe our own behaviors and motives. How much we really take advantage of this ability is another question. It takes discipline and honesty with ourselves. We certainly see people around us every day who clearly don’t use it, and we might not do a very good job of using it to its full extent, either.

We should understand that the ability to evaluate ourselves is an incredible gift. With God’s help, we can potentially increase our self-awareness and mature as Christ followers because we can identify where we need to grow.

In today’s verse, James gives us some good criteria to use as we evaluate ourselves and guard against what is basically false wisdom.

Think about the term “bitter envy.” Those are strong words. Take a look at your life. Can you think of an area where you are bitterly envious of something someone else has – relationships, positions, possessions? The potential list is long.

Now think about “selfish ambition.” What are you ambitious for in your life? Are you ambitious because you want to do things for the Kingdom of God, for yourself, or for something else?

Both of these terms are great checks for our motives and our resulting behaviors. At first glance the majority of us probably think them extreme and not applicable to us. But we should make time to ponder them, and if we come to the realization that they are obstacles, we are told not to be proud of or deny them. We are called to deal with them because they undermine our Kingdom effectiveness.

1 Peter 5:8 says: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Spiritual warfare is constant and we are called to be vigilant. The enemy wants to trip us up, divert us, destroy us, and render us useless. Consider this verse a tool or weapon in your spiritual warfare defense kit to help you understand where you are weak, under attack, or need to grow.