Identifying Motivation

We know that “For Christian leaders, motivation is deeply connected to how they understand

God.” (Chip Roper) [link https://www.spiritualadvising.org/tool/aligning-motivation-for-

accelerating-impact]. Yet each one of us understands God differently depending on our lived

experiences. Our motivations also change over time as our faith grows.

An endless list of experiences can motivate us. The desire to be more (or less) of someone in

your life like a parent or mentor. Paying off a debt or felt need (compassion) to an underserved

population. The founders of the Grab app tried to address the safety concerns of street taxis in

a country of Southeast Asia. You just might be an inventor who gets energy from creating.

The role of a spiritual advisor is to help you connect what motivates you to your faith. The

source of your motivation is unique. Advising helps you to have peace that your motivation

reflects an understanding of God’s calling for you. As an illustration, I worked in industry and

academia for four decades, so I should already be a fountain of wisdom. So how did I respond

when a brother challenged me to unpack Godly ambition with him?