Get Motivated!

Ministry is hard work! It’s very hard and it takes a lot of energy to accomplish it all. In life, the “why” always determines the “how long.” If you don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’ll never stick with it. The reason always determines the motivation.

That’s why we have so many depressed, discouraged people today. They have no reason for living. They get up in the morning and they go to work, they come home, they watch TV and go to bed and they ask themselves, “Why am I doing this?” If you have read the Purpose Driven Life book, I believe you'll understand. If you have no reason, no meaning, no purpose in life other than just trying to get ahead – if you don’t know that there is much more to this life than survival – then you’re going to get discouraged and you’re going to quit. You won’t make it to the end of the race.

It’s absolutely important that you remember the reason you do what you do. Even I get discouraged. I’ve ministered in a wonderful church for 7 years, and do you want to know how often I feel like quitting?

Every Monday morning.

That’s about the time I think, “It’s somebody else’s turn.” It doesn’t matter if you hit a homerun last week – you’re still facing another seven days at bat. I’ve often thought, “I don’t have enough smarts to do this. Somebody else ought to be ministering this church.” Whenever I feel like giving up, I remind myself of two wonderful truths. They’re the truths you should remember too:

1. I Have A Mission With God, even if I feel discouraged.. My being here at Fairfax didn't just fall into place. It wasn't the "Beam-me-to-Virginia, Scotty". The Lord led us here for a reason. He is on a mission using me to reach the deaf souls! Will there be obstacles? Sure! Will there be rejections? Of course! Will there be loss of passion to serve the Lord! Read what My children did during the old, old days (Old Testament)! It's not about how much energy you have, or the capacity of knowledge you have in your brain. It's about the power God is using in and around your life! It's not your own power but His.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, “God has given us this work to do. So we don’t become discouraged.” Why am I doing this? Because it is the Lord who gave me a MISSION! And how about you?

2. I Have A Reward In Heaven, as remembered each time I am discouraged.. Here's one thing that we do not "LIKE" to do... Deny ourselves! In order to get the "reward", we must deny ourselves many things in order for the best things in life to happen. Many of us do the opposite! We're running aimlessly in the world looking for lasting peace and happiness. But this is where consquences often fall on the negative side.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:2427 (niv)

In other words, what we want to do is what God wants us to do! We don't see much of this thought in people today!! People need the thought/attitude of "self-denial". If you're going to involve yourselves in His church, you're going to have to cut some things out of life. Really, you don't have time for everything. God is, and will always be, first! If you have placed God close to the bottom of the "priority list", you haven't really denied yourselves. When God has a purpose for you, make sure you understand His purpose for your life!

In due time, all of your earthly rewards (sporting events, debate contest, honor roll) will be stashed away in a dark chest. That's because earthly rewards do not last! One day you'll get an applause, a pat-in-the-back, but then as days go on, all you've done (achievement) will gradually fade away.

I learned there are three different kinds of motivations: internal, external and eternal. There is internal motivations where I do things because I'm motivated inside. However, internal motivations are wrong. You may be trying various things: pleasing an unpleasing parent, overcoming inferiority, and others. Internal motivations are often issues of pride. Now, with the external motivation, that's the carrot on the stick. You get the pin, trophy, or your picture on the cover of a magazine. Though, seen, it's an external reward that's temporary.

Neither of them will last, period! If you want to make it to the finish line in the race of life (spiritual), you'll need to put yourselves in a different racing suit: eternal motivation. God tells us to keep our eyes on the goal that's in Heaven. All the achievements, all the wealth, all the successes on earth is only a millimeter on a yardstick of eternity. It's microscopic small!! We've got to have an eternal perspective! Don't just build your life around just here and now. Focus on the purposes God has for you, not on the problems! Live each day as if you're living for eternity in Jesus' Name! If God has "called" you, what are you doing with the "calling"? If God is "calling" you, what obstacles are you facing now?

Get motivated with the eternal motivation!