DEEPER STILL: Week Forty-Three
Examine Your Motives
Proverbs 16:2
“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits.”
Reflections
Restoration should be motivated by love for God alone. If love for Him is our foundation, then when the path to restoration becomes difficult, we will not be undone by frustration or disappointment.
Jonah’s story illustrates this truth. God called him to go to Nineveh and preach to the Assyrians—a nation known for its pride, idolatry, and cruelty. Jonah knew God would show mercy, but he could not bear the thought of God extending compassion to his enemies (Jonah 4:2). Instead of obeying, Jonah fled in the opposite direction, driven not by love for God but by personal prejudice and bitterness.
Jonah’s rebellion carried him far from God’s intended path. Yet even in his disobedience, God did not abandon him. Swallowed by a great fish for three days and nights (Jonah 1:17), Jonah finally cried out in distress, acknowledging God’s mercy in rescuing him from his own rebellion (Jonah 2:1–2). In the end, Jonah went to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning of judgment, leading to the people’s repentance.
Jonah’s initial resistance revealed a heart consumed with bitterness and prejudice rather than love for God. He wanted God’s justice on his terms, not God’s mercy on God’s terms. In the same way, when we walk the road of restoration after hurt or trauma, our own hearts may be tempted to crave judgment for those who wronged us. We may want to control the outcome, or determine who deserves grace and who does not. But God calls us to a different way.
When restoration feels heavy, it is vital to remember that our obedience is not wasted, even if the results are not what we imagined. God sees the hidden motives of the heart and honors those who choose His way over their own. Just as Jonah’s reluctant obedience still led to an entire city turning to God, so our faithful steps—though small and unseen—become part of God’s greater story of redemption. Trust that His purposes in restoration extend far beyond our understanding, and that His love will sustain us as we walk forward.
Reflect on God’s mercy (Ps. 103:10), and His forgiveness so our hearts can be motivated by His love (Luke 7:47).
Pray for a heart like Christ’s, so His compassion shapes our motives (Philippians 2:5).
Release our need to control the outcomes, trusting God’s justice and mercy are perfect (I Chronicles 16:11).
Extend grace even when you feel it is undeserved, just as Jonah ended up doing with the Assyrians.
Let restoration be a testimony – not of our strength, but of God’s mercy. Let our motivations be God’s love–not revenge, not recognition, not even relief (1 Jn. 4:19).
Examine your motives as you walk this path. Seek to be pure in heart, loving God above all else, and allowing His love to flow through you to others.
Prayer
Lord, help my motives to be pure and flow from my love for You. Help me to put aside any selfish pursuits and seek Your will in restoration.
