Question 1

Where should I find my motivation for life?

Accepted Answer

John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”John 15:12“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”1 Corinthians 13:1-3If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.1 John 4:11Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.Jesus demonstrated the kind of motivation that should rule our lives through his death on the cross. Our love and gratitude to him should motivate loving actions toward God and other people.Romans 12:15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.Galatians 6:2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.1 John 3:17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?Love finds motivation in meeting the needs of others. This includes helping others with their physical, financial, and emotional burdens.1 Corinthians 12:7A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.1 Corinthians 12:12, 17-18The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. . . . If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.1 Corinthians 14:1Let love be your highest goal!God has given every believer gifts to build the Body of Christ. Desiring to cultivate our gifts and talents so we can better bless others is a healthy love-centered motivation.1 Corinthians 9:16Preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!2 Corinthians 5:14Either way, Christ’s love controls us.Colossians 3:17Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.Whatever the task, we must keep the clear sense that we are serving the Lord in all things.1 Corinthians 3:13-15On the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.2 Corinthians 5:9-10So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.The reality of one day standing before Jesus and having to account for all we have done should motivate us to avoid what is wrong or worthless. Followers of Jesus will have no judgment for salvation (for God has already forgiven us), but we will face a judgment of evaluation where our faithfulness will be assessed. In that moment, all the efforts of our worthless motivations will be burned away, but our faithful acts of love for God and others will reap eternal rewards.

Question 2

How can I help motivate others?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 11:1You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.1 Timothy 4:12Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.We can help motivate others by setting a good example. Paul was conscious of this when he told the believers at Corinth to imitate him. And he told young Timothy to set a good example for the believers in Ephesus.Hebrews 10:23-25Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.We can help motivate others by being positive and focusing on the hope we have in Christ. And we should look for ways to encourage fellow believers.Isaiah 40:30-31Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.Philippians 4:13I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.We can motivate others by reminding them that Christ will give them the strength to complete whatever tasks he has given them.Galatians 1:10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.Colossians 3:23Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.We can motivate others by reminding them that they are “working for the Lord” and his approval, not other people.Deuteronomy 31:6“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”We can motivate others by challenging them, as Moses did with Joshua, to not be afraid but to move forward in faith, knowing that God is with them and preparing the way.Hebrews 12:1-4Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.We can motivate others by reminding them of their great spiritual heritage and challenging them not be distracted or sidetracked but to stay focused on Christ.James 1:2-4Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.We can motivate others by reminding them that conflicts, barriers, and other “troubles” can help them grow their faith and endurance.Philippians 3:13-14No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.We can motivate others by challenging them to look beyond their present circumstances to their ultimate goal, to finish their “race” well.

Motivation