Have you ever noticed that when you are motivated to do something in order to prove a point (to yourself or even more futilely, to someone else) that things usually don’t go very well?
I have!
Seems as though proving just isn’t a great motive.
Think of it: when you try to prove to someone t
hat you can keep your house clean all the time, it’s just frustrating when that someone comes unannounced, and the “proof” you wanted to show vanishes, among a million Legos.
And what about wanting to prove that you’re a good parent to the neighborhood, and yet you lose your cool while driving the car pool?
Or if you are trying to prove that you are a good member of X,Y or Z, your heart isn’t in your devotion or commitment or to the benefits of your membership because you’re too busy focusing on what you appear to be, not what you are.
Striving for clean, honest motives (or that which motivates our actions) is where it’s at. And it usually doesn’t have as much to do with other people as it has to do with us and God. Only He knows truly what is in our hearts and why we do what we do; how hard we are trying, and if our behavior is fueled by goodness and decency and love, or if it is motivated by wanting to look good, not necessarily to be good.
And since He already knows all about us and the state of our hearts, maybe we can drop the proving thing altogether.
We are loved and valued by Him and we are validated by that love. Yes, we can have expectations for ongoing growth and for gaining wisdom and for keeping ourselves open to learning even through the difficulties we experience, but we don’t have to prove our worth.
We already have that.
Much love to you.
Jacque
FOOD for deep thought….
How true, I have been thinking too…xoxox