Holy Motives

Two words that have been on my mind the last two weeks.

After being challenged by the statement "we are drawn to things that feed our egos, yet starve our soul", God impressed "HOLY MOTIVES" into my heart.

Why am I involved in the things I'm involved in? Is it because they are part of a calling or do I choose to participate in some activity just to be seen or heard? All questions that I felt like I needed to spend a little time mulling over.

Part of the answer came as I drove home from Chattanooga after the conference a couple of weeks ago. The girls were occupied in the back seat while I had a silent conversation with God.

I was overwhelmed with everything that had gone on that weekend as well as the week before I left. I couldn't wait to share it with Chad and a few friends, but the last thing I wanted was to sound puffed up. How do you share good news and excitement without it being prideful?

The Lord impressed on my heart that I was to only share with people who have been in the trenches with me. People who pray for me and this particular area of my life on a regular basis. It's a handful of cherished loved ones. Some family, others who are family by choice.

Here are just a few of the verses that God has given me over the last two weeks.....

1 Chronicles 28:9 "Acknowledge the God of your father and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts."

Proverbs 5:21 "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths."

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Oh how my heart is prone to wander from His plan. Even in doing good things, "church" things it's easy to become distracted and loose sight of the calling God has placed. Sometimes, it's okay to say no! God doesn't call us all to every task. I want to serve Him and serve Him well in the areas He has chosen and purposed for me to serve in.

I guess more than ever I want only to walk the path God has charted for me. Even when that path seems so foreign! God is trustworthy and I believe with all my heart that His path is the safest and the best for my life.

He knows the deepest desires of my heart, ALL of my motives the holy and the unholy. But you know what I'm finding on this journey? The more I know Him, the more those desires change. And I like His ideas for my life a whole lot better than I like mine! He's a 100 times more creative than I could ever be!!