Proverbs 16:2 NLT, “People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.”
Outwardly someone can look and sound like they are trying to please God and help others, but God can see their heart. He can see the motives behind each and every action. Praying and asking God to help us to be aware of the motives behind our actions is beneficial. Every act of kindness should be guided by His love. Having an ungodly desire for attention and credit can do harm to ourselves and others.
Unfortunately I’ve seen people manipulate situations just so they can get all the glory. We don’t have to drive ourselves crazy worrying about rewards. When we operate with pure hearts, God will bless us by making sure we receive the rewards we deserve.
Even in our prayer life, God wants our motives to be pure…
James 4:3 NIV, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
The will of God should be our primary concern. When we ask, we should ask according to His will. When we delight ourselves in Him, He promised to give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4).
Love should always be the motivation behind the things we do, because love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).
Drawing Closer to Christ 