Making Motives Matter

"I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously." 1 Chronicles 29:17

As I was preparing for Bible study this week I came across this verse in First Chronicles. It sent chills down my spine because I was looking for a different verse, dealing with this same thing and yet God led me to this passage! I love "God moments"! During this Bible study we are going through the book called "Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl" by Lysa Terkuerst. So what does a "Good Bible Study Girl" look like? She is someone who reads her Bible daily, gives generously to others, is kind, compassionate, caring, friendly, volunteering her time and energy to the church or good causes, etc and so forth. All of these things are an outward show of right and good things. Here is the key to becoming more than just a good bible study girl...MAKING MOTIVES MATTER! God doesn't care about what we do outwardly, he cares about the motives behind those actions. Are you kind and friendly and giving and volunteering here and there out of you love for God and other people, or because you feel obligated or "it's the good thing to do" or to win praise from people? So many times I have found myself being the "Good Bible Study Girl", doing this and that, running here and there, all in the name of doing what is good and right, while inside I'm less than thrilled because I'm tired or have taken on too much. God wants us to focus on a few things and do them well and completely out of our love for him and other people, not taking on every good thing that comes our way because we feel that is what a good Christian does. Make your motives matter, weigh them out and see if they are pure. As this verse tells us, God rejoices when he finds a heart filled with integrity and pure motives!