Lesson Four - Going Deeper Section 2

If a person does something even though he doesn't feel like doing it does that mean his motivations are wrong? Explain.

Well, I don't think it's necessarily wrong. Because, if I don't feel like doing something but I do it anyway out of love then I don't think it's a bad motivation. For example. If I planned to make someone food to help them out and then I didn't feel like cooking but I got up and did it anyway because I knew that it would help them - I don't see how that's wrong. Now if I only got up and did it because I wanted them to Thank Me for it or because I didn't want to look bad because I'd promised to give them something - that would be the wrong motivation. But the desire to do something nice for them in the first place was given to me by God so honoring that desire even though I'd rather not is honoring God.

b. How are our feelings and motivations related?
Our feelings determine our motives. We can have warring desires - wanting to do good, and wanting to be lazy - but our true motivation comes from our feelings. Or perhaps it's that our motives drive our feelings. If we truly want to honor the Lord and we are motivated by our love of him, we feel more joy in all of our actions...