“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.“
2 Corinthians 5:14–15
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October 20, 2025
We live in a goal-oriented world. If you’re in high school or middle school—heck, even elementary school—you’ve probably been asked more times than you can count, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” You may even still be trying to figure it out as an adult!
But when you do figure it out, another problem appears: motivation. What’s going to drive you? What will fill you with the willingness to do what needs to be done to achieve the goals you’ve set?
Before we consider what proper motivation looks like for a Christian, let’s take a look at goals. Having goals is good and necessary, but we often set goals today that are self-centered and lack transcendence.
First, we’re all bombarded by messages encouraging us to love ourselves by following our desires. As a result, we often chase after what we think is best for us, pursuing selfish ambitions despite God’s wisdom and commands, and at the expense of our neighbors.
Second, this self-centeredness comes from a view of life that refuses to acknowledge any transcendent reality beyond our life and death. If true pleasure, power, and glory do not exist beyond ourselves and our time on earth, then it’s tempting to live for self.
The only solution to these problems is found in Christ. The mission Christ gave His church is both transcendent and selfless. God’s mission is to gather those He has called from every nation to worship Him—both in this life and in the one to come—and He accomplishes this through His church by the work of His Son on the cross and the Spirit in our midst. When we reorient our goals to align with God’s goal, our own goals come alive.
So then, what fuels the life of the Christian? The love of Christ. What Jesus did changes everything! This is what fueled the life of Paul and the other apostles. The love of Jesus moved them so deeply that their entire purpose in life was reoriented to serve Him by obeying His commands.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- How is the love of Christ compelling?
- Does the love of Christ compel you? If not, what other motives fuel you and why is the love of Christ different?
- In what ways may the love of Christ move you to serve Him in your context?
Church Reading Plan: 2 Kings 1; 2 Thessalonians 1