Motivation: Is It a Struggle Right Now?

June 11th, 2024

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Yagottawanna"? (Interpreted, "You've got to want to." ) Well, what if you don't feel like wanting to? In today's blog, Alyssa Glander shows us what a biblical understanding of motivation looks like and how to get our "want to" to work as God intended.

Galatians 6:9
So let us not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

Regardless of how you want to say it, we all have plenty of days or seasons in which we are discouraged, overwhelmed, or unmotivated to press on toward our goals. And you may even be asking yourself, “How can I stay motivated more consistently? OR Is perpetual motivation even possible?

It’s important to acknowledge that motivation is rooted in fickle emotions. They swell and shrink depending on the circumstance and one’s temperament. Such roadblocks can be triggered by something as familiar as a change in sleep patterns or a simple incident in traffic. These events can offset our day and create longstanding, metaphorical storm clouds that are seemingly impossible to shake.

Therefore, we cannot base our actions on whether or not we feel motivated. If we relied solely on intrinsic motivation to complete our tasks, we would not finish most of what we started. Yet, God blessed us with emotions as a part of creating us in His image. Because of this reality, we can be confident that He also provides ways to manage emotions and gain victory over the ones that hinder us.

God reminds us in His word that our minds are not trustworthy, but His guidance and wisdom are. “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered (Proverbs 28:26).”

I suggest we begin to look at things differently—relying on God’s Word to change our mindset. What do I mean by that? Instead of focusing on motivation, Scripture commands us to commit to the tasks God has laid before us. We can steel our resolve through faith and stay committed to our goals, pushing forward through those metaphorically unrelenting storm clouds.

Remember, you are not alone. You are never alone. As you make commitments, you should bring them to the Lord and surrender control to Him. Ask Him for courage and resilience to accomplish your work, and rest in the assuredness of His promises.

Romans 8:38
No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

There will be days when we will all lose in the struggle to overcome our emotions, but each new day is a new opportunity to move forward. It's been said that maturity is developed when you live your life by your commitments, and God's steadfast love, not by your feelings.

Lamentations 3:22–23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

God’s Word is inspired and is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” so that we may be “complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). He will meet us where we are and at any level of motivation to show us that the act of commitment to our tasks should always supersede whether or not we feel like doing something.

Psalm 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

Author Bio:
Alyssa Glander has been walking with the Lord since she was about 17, and she's known since then that Christ has shouldered her all the way! She is a Content and Social Media Manager at Reasons For Hope, an integral part of our EQUIP Retreat team, and the second-youngest member of RforH! Happily married to her amazing husband Marc since 2018, they reside in Georgia with their beautiful baby girl, Genesis, and their certifiably insane (but sweet) Boston Terrier, Axel!

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