Fear of God in my work

What motivates the heart?

Some people assume that since we are a people who are totally depraved, the issues of the heart will only reveal sin, so what is the point of delving into the motivations of the heart? The point is not to explain or prove sin. I know I am a sinner. Yet, in understanding my heart and my sin, the Gospel is real. I see my continual need (desperate need) for a redeemer, to wash my heart, clean. Only Christ can make that happen.

While, I am “in Christ,” as a Christian, my life is a battle to claim His righteousness and to walk in repentance for sin. To celebrate what Jesus has done on the cross for me and you.

Take my work: Two distinct motivations could alter my behavior dramatically. Fear of man and fear of God. Both can produce the same behavior yet my heart is not changed. 

If I have a heart motivator of fear of man in my work, this is what my heart looks like:

• driven to please others
• concerned with outward appearances more than love and inward affections
• performance to impress: my kids, my husband, my friends, family, etc.
• controlling environment attain a false satisfaction
• controlling people to attain a false contentment
• using things and people to make my self feel good about myself
• caring too much about the opinion of others or myself
• unrealistic standards for home, productivity, relationships that is law driven not Grace driven, legalism!
• producing results for praise from man
• doing tasks for accomplishment and duty

These heart motivators produce:

1. Unrighteous anger for any block from standards or productivity to happen.
2. Disappointment when praise from man doesn’t happen
3. Bad feelings about self- when tasks don’t happen
4. inflexibility, irritability
5. shame if identity rests on performance

In contrast, thru repentance fear of God in my work looks like:

• desiring first to please God in work
• aware of God in the details
• depending on God in the details
• gentleness and self control
• quiet whispers of prayers when confrontation of interuptions happen
• tender-hearted conversations that come at the suprise moments
• giving God the credit in my heart for a completed task or simply Him enabling me to do anything
• showing people near me my need for Christ to do anything
• confessing sin quickly

These heart motivations produce:

1. Meekness
2. Humility
3. Self-control
4. Kindness
5. Love
6. Worship

Just to name a few!

Again, my battle, my war with work is to WORSHIP my God in my work. To see Jesus in my laundry, my children’s eyes, to love Jesus with my hands and most importantly, my heart!

Worship is a war. Who is fighting?

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