Do you ever question your motives?  At what point in the process of thinking, planning, preparing, initiating, working, and completing do you consider your motives?  Is your consideration an actual questioning of something uncertain or is it justifying the obvious.  It appears to me that our motives can be buried, one upon another, in a pile that must be sorted out to get to the bottom.  For example, we may think of something we want, maybe we need it to some extent, or not; in and of itself it may be neither good nor bad; it may be related to some other plan or objective that is ongoing, or not; we may know a purpose for this, or not; we may be able to obtain it through our own means or others may be involved; what does God say or is He silent, so it goes, on and on in a pile unorganized and crisscrossing one upon another.

Our motives are hidden within and among many variables.  They only come to light as we allow light to shine upon our innermost intentions.  What does scripture say, “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  Burt whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3: 20-21).  Believers may be confused, even deceived, but as long we are committed to the truth, Yeshua Messiah – who is light, the way, the truth and the life, we come into His light. (John 8:12; 14:6).  Moreover, we have the Holy Spirit that speaks, reveals, illuminates, explains, and shows us the will of God, which may be clearly contrasted or confirmed with our motives.  “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them?  In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (1 Corinthians 2: 9-12).  It is the Spirit that guides us among our motives and desires to hold fast to God’s destiny, plan and purpose.  “For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4: 12-13)

This is an encouragement to ask God for more and believe He will give it, but also, to rely fully on Him.  “What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You desire but do not have, so you kill.  You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.  You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4: 1-3).  Do not misunderstand, we need to ask God for everything, rather than seeking to obtain things ourselves, and submit our motives to the light of His will.