Road To Unity - Motivation

I am starting to read this section in the Freedom 2 manual on page 68...”Six Characteristics of Unity” right, ha ha God...very funny.

The first listed is Motivation. The first sentence: “Our motivation is to honor God, and doing so requires faith.” My first thought is that I can most honor God by allowing Him to complete His intended work in me. That requires trust...and of course the faith. So does trust require faith or does faith require trust? Or both? I have major trust issues...where does that leave me? I say I trust God but what does that really mean? I spend a limited amount of time with Him...there are many distractions, some of them the same ones everyone has. Working is important...sleeping, eating, taking care of my apartment. Others...not so important...like being on twitter and facebook or watching tv or a movie or reading fiction. I think of the song “Fully Surrendered” or the words I sensed God speaking to me....free fall. Those things are from Him...they help me have trust in Him and help my faith in Him to grow. Gee...I haven't made it past the first sentence yet!

“Faith propels agreement and the cleansing of our motivation.” When I hear from God...my sense is that things in my spirit and my mind are clear...like being able to look into the distance on a clear day. There seem to be no obstacles. I know that God has cleared things for me at that point in order for me to be engaged with Him...to hear His voice. Yet I know that others aren't hearing Him, not sure they believe His intent for them is good. They might not even know He is speaking to me. I guess if He wanted to speak so all could hear Him, He could break through. But that doesn't seem to be the case up til now. I guess I am the one that has to move in faith first. Others will follow as I invite Him into my inner being.

There is certainly a lot of fear... “Fear and unbelief hinder unity; they are the opposite of faith.” Wow...how is that wall going to come down? How are they, any one of them even going to move from fear into faith? “Fear seeks to control people, events, and circumstances to avoid whatever we fear.” What do I fear? What do they fear? What will happen if I trust and have faith? “Unbelief keeps us from moving in radical obedience to God.” I am choosing to believe...but I know I will be challenged with trusting more and more. This is where the inner distractions can really grab me and I find that I have done a lot of nothing by the end of the evening. It is where the “no's” being insisted on inside have to be acknowledged and then I set my face toward God, knowing He will walk with me wherever He is beckoning me to follow. That just sounded nice but when the time comes....what will I do? How will I feel? What will they feel?

“Our heart motivation of faith or fear determines whether our unity is true of false.” I need to acknowledge any fear and reticence I feel. I also need to find out why it is there. I need Jesus to come with me inside to ask those questions and hear those stories. I cannot allow them to sink down inside again and pretend those feelings and thoughts aren't there in order to “be good” and appear united. I deceive myself and others and for no good end. I do not want to allow deception on top of the fear and mistrust.

All of the above require an act of my will to choose to take the time, choose to answer questions, choose to lay aside temporal pleasures in order to fulfill my commission here on earth. Choosing to set aside fear in order to conquer it. Choosing faith instead of mistrust in order to move on and not stay stuck. Ultimately it is choosing the eternal over the temporal...putting off feelings of contentment, pleasure and happiness knowing that I will reap even greater contentment In the end. What I choose tonight may have consequences next year or in ten years. It doesn't mean that rest and relaxation aren't important but to be purposeful and mindful of all I need that God is providing for me now and in the future.

The Freedom and  Freedom 2 manuals are written by Brian Brennt and Mike Riches and are used in conjunction with the courses by the same name. They are published by City Central Publishing in Tacoma Washington.