Why Are You Really Doing This?
“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit” – Proverbs 16:2
It is easy to make our lives look polished on the outside. We check all the right boxes. Go to church. Say the prayers. Lift our hands during worship. Serve when the need arises. Give when prompted. From the outside, it all seems right. But Jesus doesn’t just see what we do. He sees why we do it.
When Jesus changes your heart, He also shifts your motives. The question becomes not just what you’re doing for God, but who you’re doing it for. Are you chasing after Jesus or chasing attention? Are you seeking intimacy with Him or validation from others? Sometimes the action looks the same, but the heart behind it tells a different story.
The truth is, some people show up on Sundays not to hear from God but to be seen by others. Some serve because it’s expected. Some give because it looks generous, not because they’re trusting God. That’s not to condemn, it’s just to be honest. And Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, presses directly into that honesty. He reminds us that God isn’t impressed by outward religion. He’s looking at inward devotion.
You may fool people, but you cannot fool God. The applause of others might feel good for a moment, but it will never satisfy your soul. Jesus teaches us that real righteousness is not about performance. It is about purity of heart. And that purity only comes when your motives are anchored in Him.
Ask yourself today, why do I do what I do? If you removed the applause, the recognition, the status… would you still show up? Would you still give? Still serve? Still pray? When your heart belongs fully to Jesus, you will.
Let your “why” be worship. Not performance. Not pressure. Not pride. Just a heart that longs to please your Father, even when no one is watching. That is the kind of faith that honors God.
It is easy to make our lives look polished on the outside. We check all the right boxes. Go to church. Say the prayers. Lift our hands during worship. Serve when the need arises. Give when prompted. From the outside, it all seems right. But Jesus doesn’t just see what we do. He sees why we do it.
When Jesus changes your heart, He also shifts your motives. The question becomes not just what you’re doing for God, but who you’re doing it for. Are you chasing after Jesus or chasing attention? Are you seeking intimacy with Him or validation from others? Sometimes the action looks the same, but the heart behind it tells a different story.
The truth is, some people show up on Sundays not to hear from God but to be seen by others. Some serve because it’s expected. Some give because it looks generous, not because they’re trusting God. That’s not to condemn, it’s just to be honest. And Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, presses directly into that honesty. He reminds us that God isn’t impressed by outward religion. He’s looking at inward devotion.
You may fool people, but you cannot fool God. The applause of others might feel good for a moment, but it will never satisfy your soul. Jesus teaches us that real righteousness is not about performance. It is about purity of heart. And that purity only comes when your motives are anchored in Him.
Ask yourself today, why do I do what I do? If you removed the applause, the recognition, the status… would you still show up? Would you still give? Still serve? Still pray? When your heart belongs fully to Jesus, you will.
Let your “why” be worship. Not performance. Not pressure. Not pride. Just a heart that longs to please your Father, even when no one is watching. That is the kind of faith that honors God.
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