WHY ARE YOU REALLY DOING IT?

WHY ARE YOU REALLY DOING IT?

THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE ACTION

Key Scripture

📖 1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"

📖 Proverbs 16:2 (NKJV)

"All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits."

Introduction

There is a question that every believer must eventually face, a question that cuts through all pretense, all performance, and all self-deception. It is the question that God asks not of our actions but of our hearts. It is the question that searches the deepest recesses of our motives. It is the question: Why are you really doing it?

We can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. We can serve in ministry to be seen by others. We can give generously to receive recognition. We can pray eloquently to impress those around us. We can worship passionately to feel good about ourselves. We can read our Bibles to check off a religious duty. We can share our faith to prove we are good Christians. We can do all the external things that look like obedience while our hearts are far from God. We can fool people. We can even fool ourselves. But we cannot fool God.

The Lord declared to the prophet Samuel, "For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." The Hebrew word for "heart" is lebab, which refers to the inner person—the mind, the will, the emotions, and the seat of motives and intentions. God does not evaluate us based on what we do; He evaluates us based on why we do it. He looks past the action to the motive. He sees the heart behind the deed.

Solomon echoed this truth in Proverbs 16:2: "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits." The Hebrew word for "weighs" is takan, which means to measure, to balance, to evaluate, or to assess. The word for "spirits" is ruach, which refers to the inner person, the spirit, or the disposition. God weighs the motives. He measures the intentions. He evaluates the heart. And His assessment is often very different from our own.

This teaching is for everyone who has ever done the right thing for the wrong reason. It is for the one who has served with mixed motives. It is for the one who has performed for people rather than for God. It is for the one who has been more concerned with appearance than with authenticity. It is for the one who wants to examine their heart and align their motives with God's will. It is time to ask the hard question. It is time to understand that God looks at the heart.

Biblical Truth

1 Samuel 16:7 and Proverbs 16:2 together provide a powerful biblical framework for understanding the importance of motives. They reveal that God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance, and that He weighs the spirits, evaluating our true intentions.

1 Samuel 16:7 is one of the most profound revelations of God's perspective in all of Scripture. The context is critical. The prophet Samuel had been sent by God to Bethlehem to anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse. Saul, the first king of Israel, had been rejected by God because of his disobedience. Samuel was grieving over Saul, but God told him to move on. He was to go to Jesse's house and anoint the one whom God had chosen.

When Samuel arrived, he saw Eliab, the eldest son, and was immediately impressed. Eliab was tall, handsome, and had the bearing of a king. He looked the part. He was the obvious choice. Samuel thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him" (1 Samuel 16:6). But God said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

The Hebrew word for "appearance" is mareh, which means sight, appearance, or vision. The word for "physical stature" is gobah, which means height, stature, or elevation. Samuel was looking at the external qualities that humans typically use to evaluate others. But God says, "Do not look at those things." Why? Because God does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

The Hebrew word for "heart" is lebab, which means the inner self, the mind, the will, the soul, or the seat of emotion and decision. It is the core of a person's being. It is who they are when no one is watching. It is their character, their integrity, their motives, and their desires. God sees the heart. He evaluates based on the heart. He looks beyond the appearance to the very essence of who a person is.

Then David was brought in. He was the youngest son, a shepherd boy, and the least likely candidate. But God chose him. He said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!" (1 Samuel 16:12). David was chosen not because of his outward appearance, but because of his heart. God saw in David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He saw his faith, his courage, his humility, and his love for God. He saw beyond the appearance—the appearance of a shepherd boy—to the heart of a king.

Proverbs 16:2 addresses the issue of self-deception regarding our motives. Solomon writes, "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits." The Hebrew word for "ways" is derek, which means path, journey, or manner of life. The word for "pure" is zak, which means clean, pure, or innocent. The phrase "in his own eyes" is be'eynayw, which means in his own sight, in his own estimation, or in his own opinion. Solomon is saying that we tend to justify ourselves. We tend to think our motives are pure. We tend to believe that we are doing the right things for the right reasons. But we are often deceived.

The Hebrew word for "weighs" is takan, which means to measure, to balance, to evaluate, or to assess. It is the picture of a merchant who uses a scale to weigh goods. The merchant does not rely on appearance; he relies on measurement. In the same way, God does not rely on our self-assessment; He weighs the spirits. The word for "spirits" is ruach, which refers to the inner person, the spirit, or the disposition. God weighs the motives. He measures the intentions. He evaluates the heart.

The implication is clear. We cannot trust our own evaluation of our motives. Our hearts are deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). We can convince ourselves that we are doing the right things for the right reasons when, in reality, our motives are mixed, impure, or selfish. We need God to search our hearts. We need Him to reveal our true motives. We need Him to purify our intentions.

The principle of God examining the heart is woven throughout Scripture. In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David told his son Solomon, "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts." In Psalm 139:23-24, David prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." In Jeremiah 17:10, God declares, "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." In Hebrews 4:12, we read that the Word of God is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The example of Jesus is our ultimate model. Jesus always did the right things for the right reasons. He did not perform for people. He did not seek the praise of men. He did not do things to be seen. He said, "I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me" (John 5:30). He said, "I always do those things that please Him" (John 8:29). He said, "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4). Jesus' motive was always pure. He did everything for the glory of the Father and for the salvation of humanity. He did not do things for His own glory. He did not do things to impress people. He did everything out of love—love for the Father and love for us.

What We Often Get Wrong

The first and most common error is that we believe our motives are pure when they are not. We assume that because we are doing the right thing, we must be doing it for the right reason. We do not examine our hearts. We do not question our intentions. We do not ask God to reveal our true motives. We are like the man in Proverbs 16:2 who thinks all his ways are pure in his own eyes. But God weighs the spirits. He knows the truth. We must ask Him to search our hearts.

Second, we perform for people rather than for God. We serve to be seen. We give to be recognized. We pray to be heard by others. We worship to be noticed. We share our faith to prove we are good Christians. Our focus is on the audience of people rather than the audience of One. But Jesus said, "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Matthew 6:3-4). We are to do our good works in secret, for the eyes of God alone.

Third, we use good works to earn God's favor. We serve, we give, we pray, we fast—not out of love and gratitude, but out of a desire to earn God's approval. We are trying to pay God back. We are trying to prove our worth. We are trying to earn our salvation. But we cannot earn God's favor. We are saved by grace, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our good works are the fruit of our salvation, not the root of it. They are a response to His grace, not a means of earning it.

Fourth, we serve out of guilt rather than love. We serve because we feel obligated. We serve because we are afraid of what will happen if we do not. We serve because we want to avoid feeling guilty. But God does not want us to serve out of guilt. He wants us to serve out of love. He wants us to serve because we love Him and we love others. He wants us to serve with a willing heart, not a reluctant one.

Fifth, we do things for selfish gain. We serve because we want to be promoted. We give because we want to receive. We pray because we want God to bless us. We worship because we want to feel good. Our motives are self-centered. We are using God to get what we want. But God will not be used. He wants us to seek Him for who He is, not just for what He gives.

Sixth, we compare our service to others. We look at what others are doing and we either feel superior or inferior. We serve more than others and feel proud. We serve less than others and feel guilty. But comparison is a trap. God does not compare us to others. He evaluates us based on our faithfulness and our motives. He looks at the heart.

Seventh, we believe that our actions matter more than our motives. We think that as long as we do the right thing, our motives do not matter. But God looks at the heart. He weighs the spirits. He evaluates the motive behind the action. Good actions with bad motives are not pleasing to God. He wants both our actions and our motives to be pure.

God's Perspective

God views your motives as the truest measure of your heart. Your actions can be right, but your motives can be wrong. You can serve, but your service can be motivated by pride, vanity, or the desire for recognition. God sees the motive. He knows the heart. He wants your motives to be pure. He wants you to serve out of love, give out of generosity, pray out of devotion, worship out of adoration, and obey out of love.

God's perspective is that He is the only audience that matters. You are not performing for people. You are not living for their approval. You are living for the audience of One. God sees everything. He sees every act of service, every gift, every prayer, every word, and every thought. He knows why you do what you do. And He rewards based on the heart, not the act.

God sees your heart as more important than your appearance. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. You can look good on the outside. You can say all the right words. You can do all the right things. But if your heart is not right, none of it matters. God wants your heart to be fully His. He wants your motives to be pure. He wants your inner life to match your outer life.

God's perspective is that He wants to purify your motives. He does not want you to be paralyzed by introspection. He does not want you to be consumed with guilt. But He does want you to be honest about your motives. He wants you to invite Him to search your heart. He wants you to confess any impure motives and receive His cleansing. He will purify your heart. He will refine your intentions. He will make your motives pure.

God sees your service as an expression of love. He does not want you to serve out of obligation or guilt. He wants you to serve out of love—love for Him and love for others. When you serve out of love, your service is pleasing to God. When you give out of love, your giving is a sweet aroma to Him. When you pray out of love, your prayers are powerful and effective. When you worship out of love, your worship is a sacrifice of praise.

God's perspective is that He will reward you for your motives, not just your actions. Jesus said, "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works" (Matthew 16:27). He will reward you for what you did, but He will also reward you for why you did it. He will reward faithfulness. He will reward purity of heart. He will reward love. He will reward obedience. And He will reward you openly.

Practical Application

Invite God to Search Your Heart: Pray Psalm 139:23-24 regularly: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Ask God to reveal your true motives. Ask Him to show you where your intentions are impure. Be open to what He shows you.

Examine Your Motives Before You Act: Before you serve, give, pray, or worship, ask yourself: "Why am I doing this? Am I doing this to be seen by others? Am I doing this to earn God's favor? Am I doing this out of guilt? Am I doing this for selfish gain? Or am I doing this out of love for God and others?" Be honest with yourself.

Do Your Good Works in Secret: Jesus said to do your charitable deeds in secret, so that your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly (Matthew 6:4). Practice serving, giving, and praying in secret. Do not announce your good deeds. Do not seek recognition. Let God be your only audience.

Serve Out of Love: Ask God to fill you with His love. Ask Him to help you serve out of love, not out of obligation. Serve others because you love them. Give because you love them. Pray because you love them. When love is your motive, your service becomes worship.

Confess Impure Motives: When God reveals impure motives in your heart, confess them. Say, "Lord, I confess that I was doing this for the wrong reason. I was seeking the praise of men. I was trying to earn Your favor. I was serving out of guilt. Forgive me. Purify my heart. Help me to do everything out of love for You."

Focus on God's Approval: Stop worrying about what people think of you. Stop seeking their approval. Seek God's approval. He is the only One whose opinion matters. He is the only One who sees the heart. He is the only One who will reward you in the end. Live for His approval.

Let Your Motive Be God's Glory: Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Make His glory your ultimate motive. When your motive is God's glory, your actions will follow. When your motive is God's glory, your heart will be pure. When your motive is God's glory, your service will be pleasing to Him.

Ask Yourself

Why am I really doing what I am doing?

Am I serving to be seen by others, or to please God?

Am I giving to be recognized, or out of love?

Am I praying to impress others, or to commune with God?

Am I worshiping to feel good, or to honor God?

Am I serving out of guilt, obligation, or love?

Am I seeking God's approval, or the approval of people?

Have I invited God to search my heart and reveal my true motives?

Reflection

Why are you really doing it? That is the question. It is the question that cuts through all pretense, all performance, and all self-deception. It is the question that God asks not of our actions but of our hearts. It is the question that searches the deepest recesses of our motives. Why are you really doing it?

God looks at the heart. He does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. He sees the motive behind the action. He weighs the spirits. He evaluates the intention. He knows why you do what you do. And He wants your motives to be pure. He wants you to serve out of love. He wants you to give out of generosity. He wants you to pray out of devotion. He wants you to worship out of adoration. He wants you to obey out of love.

So examine your heart. Invite God to search you. Confess any impure motives. Receive His cleansing. And let your motive be His glory. Let your audience be Him alone. Let your heart be fully His. And when you stand before Him, you will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Not because of what you did, but because of why you did it. Not because of your actions, but because of your heart. That is what matters most. That is what God sees. That is what God rewards.

Prayer

Father, I come to You with an honest heart. I confess that I have done the right things for the wrong reasons. I have served to be seen. I have given to be recognized. I have prayed to impress others. I have worshiped to feel good about myself. I have been more concerned with appearance than with authenticity. Forgive me. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxieties. See if there is any wicked way in me. Reveal my true motives. Purify my heart. Help me to do everything out of love for You and for others. Help me to seek Your approval alone. Help me to live for Your glory. Let my motive be pure. Let my heart be fully Yours. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

Declaration

I declare that God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance. He weighs the spirits. He knows my true motives. I will not be deceived by my own self-assessment. I will invite God to search my heart. I will examine my motives before I act. I will do my good works in secret. I will serve out of love. I will give out of generosity. I will pray out of devotion. I will worship out of adoration. I will obey out of love. I will seek God's approval alone. I will live for His glory. My motive is pure. My heart is fully His. I do everything for the glory of God. I do everything out of love. I do everything for the audience of One. Why am I really doing it? I am doing it for Him.

Concluding Scripture

📖 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

A Final Word

Why are you really doing it? That is the question. It is the question that cuts through all pretense, all performance, and all self-deception. It is the question that God asks not of our actions but of our hearts. It is the question that searches the deepest recesses of our motives. Why are you really doing it?

God looks at the heart. He does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. He sees the motive behind the action. He weighs the spirits. He evaluates the intention. He knows why you do what you do. And He wants your motives to be pure. He wants you to serve out of love. He wants you to give out of generosity. He wants you to pray out of devotion. He wants you to worship out of adoration. He wants you to obey out of love.

So examine your heart. Invite God to search you. Confess any impure motives. Receive His cleansing. And let your motive be His glory. Let your audience be Him alone. Let your heart be fully His. And when you stand before Him, you will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Not because of what you did, but because of why you did it. Not because of your actions, but because of your heart. That is what matters most. That is what God sees. That is what God rewards.