Desperation Brings Motivation

Why does it take a state of desperation in order to be motivated at times? I am much more motivated to skip the ice cream when it is hard to button my clothes. Or, when I’m desperate for time when I haven’t started on my taxes by April 14, when they are due April 15. But the worst is when we wait and are desperate for a miracle and we see God as the only possible solution to our problem.

What does it mean to be desperate for God? In Luke 18:18-23, Jesus is speaking to a ruler who asked Jesus how he could inherit eternal life. Jesus listed the commandments and the man said he had kept all of them since he was young. Since Jesus could read his heart and motivations He said to the ruler, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; come, follow Me.”

Because the ruler was very rich Jesus’ answer disappointed him. I’m assuming the ruler wanted approval for the way he was living, but when Jesus gave him the truth he couldn’t handle it. The ruler was living “earth bound”. He asked Jesus how he could be heaven bound, but when Jesus told him how he could have treasure in heaven, which would last forever, he wasn’t interested.

Bottom line: the ruler missed out because he was not desperate for God. We must let go and offer the things in our life that mean the most to us to reap all the blessings and promises that God has for us.