In the stillness of a Roman hotel room, I found myself questioning the purpose of my journey. Growing up, I believed that being a faithful Christian meant checking off a list of duties. My worth was tied to the actions I took for God. But God had other plans. He began to reveal to me the true meaning of loving Him, and how that love should be the driving force behind my actions.
As I prepared for a mission trip, which included training in Rome and service in Birmingham, UK, I began to doubt my motivations. Was I doing this out of obligation or genuine passion? In my search for clarity, God led me to Acts 4:20, where Peter and John declared, “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” The early followers of Christ weren’t motivated by duty or ritual; they were compelled by a deep, personal experience with God. They had witnessed miracles, felt His power, and encountered a love that transformed them.
Their stories couldn’t be silenced, even in the face of persecution. If our devotion to God is based on mere obligation or a desire to earn His favor, we’ve got it backwards. Our motivation should be love – love for God and love for others. When our hearts are aligned with His, we won’t need to question our actions.
I prayed, “Lord, examine my heart. If my motivations are wrong, change me. Help me understand that I don’t need to earn Your love; I already have it. May my service flow from the abundance of Your love, not from a need for recognition or obligation.” May this be the cry of our hearts as we seek to serve Him wholeheartedly.
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