What Motivates You?

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24 

 

Let me ask you a question, What motivates you? Perhaps it is doing a good job.  Perhaps it is that promotion.  Perhaps it is a bigger paycheck.  Perhaps it is to hear the praise of those over you.  What is it that motivates you?

 

Let's try a different question, How do you motivate others?  The best example I can think of from my own life was during Army Basic Training.  I don't like to run and have never been good at it.  But in order to graduation Basic Training we were required to run two miles in 16 minutes.  So I practiced and practiced and practiced but just couldn't seem to get it.  In frustration, I sat on the bench at the track and began to stress.  Our company Chaplain happened to come trotting by and stopped when he saw that I was distressed.  I explained my concern to him and he said the weirdest thing, he told me "You WILL pass the run, end of story!  I guarantee it."  I thought he was nuts, but God is in the miracle business and I really did need a miracle.  The day of the final PT test came, I passed the push-up and sit ups with little trouble, but I was sweating the run.  I got in formation, the gun sounded and off we went.  From behind me, I heard someone singing cadence and I began to keep the rhythm, when I looked back I saw the Chaplain.  He came up beside me and said, "You WILL pass this run!" and kept singing cadence. Before I knew it I crossed the finish line in 11minutes and 47 seconds.  I thanked the Chaplain profusely.  He shook my hand and said, "God put me here to motivate you. When I motivated you, I was motivated.  I was considering leaving the Army because I didn't think I was doing a good enough job. God had other plans."

 

When we motivate EACH OTHER we share the love of God!  So let me ask you again, How do YOU motivate others?  Through encouragement and coming alongside is the best way. 

Run? Are You Kidding Me?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us.

Hebrews 12:1 

If you've ever watch the Track and Field Events in the Olympics, you've probably noticed that the none of the athletes are carrying heavy weights when they run.  You'll probably notice that they seldom, if ever, look back.  Why?  Because these would hinder their running.

Now...notice that we are being told to "run with endurance."  Why is that?  Well, because life is not a sprint!  When we sprint, we expend a lot of energy and focus needlessly.  Life is a GIFT which God has given each of us.  We are expected to be in it for the long haul, so that we can receive the help we need and give the help others need; so we can be a blessing and we can be blessed; so that we can learn to let go of the things that hinder our running.

"Get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely" the writer is not kidding.  We carry around too much.  When we are finally able to surrender our "baggage" to God through Christ, we will feel the weight come off our hearts!  But that means we have to be brutally honest with ourselves, because God already knows all our secrets.

Run the race with endurance!

Together We Are Stronger!

No, 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.

Philippians 3:13-14

 

When I was in the Military, we had to run every single day.  We were either marching or running wherever we had to go.  Now, let me state for the record, I do not like running.  I don't mind marching, but running is not even among my top 1 billion ideas of fun.  However, the thing about the Military is they teach TEAMWORK!  They teach reliance on your squad, your platoon, the soldier to your right and to your left.  And they were taught to rely on you.

 

Part of reinforcing that teamwork concept was the way we have to move from point A to point B.  Whenever we moved, our Sergeant would sing cadence which helped us all going in the same direction, at the same pace, and we moved as a single unit.  Those in the front would shout encouragement to those behind them.  We left as a single unit and we arrived as a single unit.

 

So do we do that with each other now?  Do we encourage one another in as we run with Christ?  Do we come alongside when someone needs some help or encouragement or a hand or do we wait for someone else to do that?  Are we going toward the same goal?  If so, how then are we running?  Together or "hope you make it by and by"?

 

We are so much stronger when we are able to put aside our petty issues and run together!  We are stronger when we complement one another!  We are stronger when we are part of one another!  Let's be STRONG and join together in this race, forgetting what has passed and focus on getting us to the goal of the calling of Christ!

 

 

 

Time To Strip Down!

We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.

Hebrews 12:1

In the days of the original Olympic games, the athletes participated in their events without any sort of uniform, or with any clothing at all for that matter.  Why? Because it was considered to be more fair and equal to run without any sort of hindrance or burden.  Look at our Olympic athletes today, especially the runners.  They wear as little as possible and it is as lightweight as possible so as to not be a hindrance to their performance.

Yet as we stroll through life, many of us struggle to walk because of all that we are carrying.  Marital issues, family discord, financial burdens, job struggles, emotional struggles, health issues, addictions, arrogance, laziness, not doing what we know is the right thing....they just seem to keep piling up.  Eventually, we are barely able to claw another inch forward.  Our lives become more of a burden than a joy.  And we wonder why.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that we should RUN the race that is our life and NEVER give up.  How can this be possible?  By removing, letting go of, dropping ANYTHING that holds us down and especially any sin that burdens us.

Think about this:  This means we need to let go of what we cannot control (which is pretty much everything) and allow God to help shape our lives so we can run with the Grace that He offers us.  That means we will have to make some changes, especially in ourselves.  It also means we cannot keep those around us who drain us.